We are living in an age in which technology is in the forefront of moving us forward as a civilization. It seems that with each passing week new pieces of information give way to new kinds of technology that unravel and give way to more and more advances that push us into an age that may, to some observers, become so dependent on technology that we might be beyond salvation. Laser and fiber optics, computerized technology, and everything between are at the center of this technological revolution. Fear or Fascination? For some it is something to fear, but for others it is something to be fascinated by. This particular author, mind you, stands somewhere fixed firmly in the middle. On one hand, I am completely enamoured with technology and fascinated by the possibilities. On the other hand, however, I find myself fixated firmly with the notion that above all else, humanity must be accountable for itself and cannot be left to the vices of computerized systems to help keep us in balance. That said, laser and fiber optics are fast pushing the realm of technology into new and exciting places. Responsible for the information flow between devices such as fax machines and telephones, laser and fiber optics technology is a piece of the puzzle that helps keep humans connected and in touch with each other. It is, as well, part of the connecting “fiber” that draws most scientific advances together and will inevitably help integrate society with the blossoming tools awaiting us in the future. Fight or Flight: The Nature of Technology and Humanity Humanity and technology was a meeting that has been millions of years in the making and has been fostered since man first discovered that tools could be used to help bring things closer together. Even crude sticks and stones were used as technological advances, furthering the notion that technology builds on top of technology and creates inwardly to advance outwardly. In other words, without laser and fiber optics to serve as building blocks to furthering our scientific realm, we would certainly be further behind in the race. Granted, this might all seem a bit too much for some readers. The fact of the matter is, however, that regardless of your point of view the technological machines of our time are marching beside us in the evolutionary process and will evolve, forcibly, into the technological machines of tomorrow. Laser and fiber optics will probably be replaced by new ways to transmit light energy, and computers will probably be replaced by new ways to communicate with other machines. There is no telling where we could end up. An Introduction to Fiber Optics Light and Cable Fiber optics are strands of pure glass that are as thin as human hair. These strands of glass carry digital information over long distances and are used in all sorts of activities, from common telephone calls to cable TV transmissions. Fiber optics also transmit light through the strand. This light travels through the core of the fiber optic bundle based on a concept called “total internal reflection.” This brief article will discuss total internal reflection and hopefully clarify the concept of fiber optics light. The Basics Of Total Internal Reflection Total internal reflection is known as an “optical phenomenon.” It occurs when light is bent (or refracted) at a boundary enough to send it backwards, which ends up reflecting all of the light, hence the name. Optical fibers operate based entirely on this principle, as do mirages. A mirage is an optical phenomenon in which light refracts or bends to such a great degree that a displaced image is visible in the distance. A mirage is comparable to a mirror, as is the general effect of total internal reflection. Fiber Optics Light Fundamental Principles Fiber optics, simply, is a means for transporting information from one point to another utilizing the form of light. Fiber optics is not electrical in nature, but rather functions using fiber optics light energy signals that operate within a cable system, transporting pieces of information from one end of the cable system to the other. In short, the light is the vehicle through which the information flows in the cable system. A Brief History of Fiber Optics Fiber optics was likely first discovered in a primitive form in 1870 by a man named John Tyndall, who used a jet of water to demonstrate that light energy flowed using a specific path. He effectively set up a bucket and filled it with water, observing that once a hole was presented in the bucket the light energy flowed with the water out of the hole and was “transmitted” into the second bucket, thus demonstrating, to Tyndall, the guided energy principle of light. Fiber optics light, therefore, began to develop from those early principles. Inventors and scientists like William Wheeling and Alexander Graham Bell explored the notion of guided light and helped bring the principles of fiber optics light to the forefront where they are utilized in many forms of technology today to send and contain simple light and complex pieces of information.