Main content

Kilobyte to Brontobyte: Naming the Monster Numbers

How the names of digital storage files evolved.

The numbers we need to describe the world around us are getting bigger. Thirty years ago computers had megabytes and kilobytes of storage space but now we need to come with bigger units of measurement every few years. We invited maths author Rob Eastaway onto the programme to tell the story behind these numbers and make the case for a new giant unit of measurement: the Brontobyte.

(Photo: Journalist working on his computer, August 1980, at the Agence France-Presse. Credit: Getty Images)

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Tue 10 Oct 2017 01:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Mon 9 Oct 2017 12:50GMT
  • Tue 10 Oct 2017 01:50GMT

Download this programme

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.