How Technology Works
What really happens when you open a website, use Wi-Fi, follow GPS or send an email.
What happens in the second after you open a website
Type an address, press Enter, and a page appears. Behind that moment is a quick chain of look-ups, a secure handshake and a lot of fetching. Here it is, step by step.
7 min read · Beginner
How Wi-Fi works, and how to make yours better
Wi-Fi sends data through the air as radio waves between your router and your devices. Understanding that one fact explains most slow spots, and how to fix them.
7 min read · Beginner
How does your phone know where you are? GPS explained
Satellites high above Earth help your phone find your position to within a few metres. Here is how that works, why it struggles indoors, and how to control who sees your location.
6 min read · Beginner
How a VPN works, and when you actually need one
VPN adverts promise total privacy and safety. The truth is more modest but still useful. Here is what a VPN really does, what it cannot do, and how to choose one.
7 min read · Beginner
How an email gets from one inbox to another
You press Send and seconds later it lands across the world. Here is the journey an email takes, why some end up in spam, and how to spot one that is not what it seems.
7 min read · Beginner
How mobile data works: masts, SIMs and signal bars
How does your phone stay online on the bus, in a car or on a train? Here is what really happens between your phone, the mast and the internet, plus how to avoid surprise bills.
7 min read · Beginner
How touchscreens work
Why does your phone respond to a fingertip but not a glove or a pen? A plain explanation of the invisible electric grid inside every touchscreen, plus tips for when yours stops responding.
5 min read · Beginner
How QR codes work, and how to scan them safely
A QR code is just a picture of some text, usually a web link. Here is how your camera reads it, why the corner squares matter, and how to avoid fake QR codes on parking meters and posters.
5 min read · Beginner
How contactless payments work
Tap your card or phone and the payment is done in a second. Here is what happens in that moment, why it is safer than it looks, and how to protect yourself if a card or phone goes missing.
6 min read · Beginner
How video streaming works
Press play and a film starts in seconds, without downloading it first. Here is how streaming services squeeze, split and deliver video, and why the picture sometimes goes blurry.
6 min read · Beginner
