THE WEB BENEATH THE WAVES

Diving into a world of perils.

Beneath the surface of the world’s oceans lies a vast network of subsea cables and underwater infrastructure—an extraordinary system pulsing with light, transporting the bulk of the world’s data. Journalist Subramanian takes readers on a fascinating journey across distant Pacific islands and into coastal cable landing stations, which guard the endpoints of this hidden global network. Draped across jagged seafloor ridges and deep ocean canyons, these cables are an evolving technology originating in 19th-century telegraph cables connecting Britain to mainland Europe. Subramanian provides rich historical context for the development of these slim yet powerful threads of glass fiber, steel, copper, and tough plastic—cables that now carry over 95% of the world’s data traffic, far outpacing the capacity of satellites. In 2022, a volcanic eruption severed a cable and took the island nation of Tonga offline, triggering a cascade of consequences. Tongans were unable to conduct business, contact family, access bank accounts, or travel—highlighting just how deeply modern life depends on this infrastructure. Subramanian underscores the cables’ critical role in global business, finance, communication, and mobility, warning that failures could cause severe disruption even in the most connected countries. The pressure on this infrastructure continues to grow as data centers and artificial intelligence increase demand. As “the agent of globalization,” writes Subramanian, the cables raise urgent questions about control and privacy. Today, a small number of tech giants manage much of the data coursing through these networks, which are vulnerable to surveillance, vandalism, and state-sponsored attacks. Geopolitical tensions—from the Ukraine war to territorial disputes—mean cable sabotage is an escalating concern. Subramanian’s profiles of the people who build, repair, and maintain these deep-sea arteries offer a glimpse into an unseen and essential global community.

A gripping look at the hidden infrastructure that binds the modern world—and the chaos that follows when it snaps.