FEATURE
SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP OF THE
SUBMARINE AND TERRESTRIAL CABLES: A Climate Change Perspective BY JORGE LOZANO
T
RA” and “AGAMEMNON” he history of commuin the background represent nication technology is a the U.S. and British ships testament to human ininvolved in laying the cable. genuity and adaptabilThe lightning bolts illustrate ity. For over 170 years, the connection made by the submarine and terrestrial cable across the Atlantic cables have been closely inOcean, a visual metaphor for tertwined, facilitating global the ITU connectivity map in connectivity and transformthe Figure 3. ing the way we interact. This Interestingly, the dialogue in article aims to highlight this the engraving closes with the relationship and its implicafirst verse of Psalm 1331. This tions for climate change. biblical reference adds a layer The engraving, titled of depth to the image, under“THE LAYING OF THE scoring the unity and brothCABLE—JOHN AND Figure 1 - The First Submarine Cable - A Historic Handshake erhood that this technological JONATHAN JOINING achievement symbolized. HANDS,” preserved in the Library of Congress, captures the momentous event on August 17, 1858, when the first telegraph message was A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW transmitted between Newfoundland and Valentia Bay, The establishment of submarine cables dates back to Ireland. The two figures shaking hands over the Atlantic the 19th century, marking a significant milestone in global Ocean symbolize the groundbreaking connection made possible by the first submarine cable. The ships “NIAGA1 https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=98822
42 SUBMARINE TELECOMS FORUM MAGAZINE