Prepare to have your mind blown! Did you know that around 10 percent of the Internet is encrypted using lava lamps? Yes, you read that right! We’re not making this up, like those crazy claims about sharks roaming the galaxy or hedgehogs being responsible for the appearance of McFlurries. This is the real deal.
Encryption, the process of scrambling data so that only the intended recipients can read it, has been around for centuries. In fact, the first recorded cipher dates back to around 400 BCE, used by Spartan military officers to communicate secretly. But now, encryption has reached a whole new level of complexity.
From simple substitution ciphers to advanced computer encryption, the keys used to protect our data have become incredibly difficult to crack. However, one challenge remains: introducing randomness into the encryption process. Computers, with their logical and ordered way of working, struggle to generate truly random numbers. But fear not, because we have found a solution: lava lamps.
Yes, you heard that right. Lava lamps are the key to introducing randomness into encryption. At CloudFare, a wall of around 100 lava lamps is constantly in motion, creating unique and ever-changing patterns. These patterns are captured by a camera, and the random colors of the pixels are used to generate encryption keys.
Why lava lamps, you ask? Well, lava lamps are consistently random. The “lava” inside a lava lamp never takes the same shape twice, making it a perfect source of random data. The resulting encryption keys are so unpredictable that cracking them becomes nearly impossible.
So, the next time you send a top-secret message on WhatsApp or browse the encrypted parts of the Internet, remember that behind the scenes, lava lamps are working their magic to keep your data secure. It’s like stepping into a retro-70s spy movie, but with a modern twist.
Curious to see how it all works? Check out this video by YouTuber Tom Scott as he explores the fascinating world of encryption lamps.
[H/T: Atlas Obscura]
