Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 3 hrs ago
Pigeon-carried internet packet draws a $4,000 bid at Christie’s
A paper internet packet carried by a pigeon in 2001 is being auctioned at Christie’s.
The experiment was run by the Bergen Linux User Group in Norway, following a 1990 proposal to send internet data using carrier pigeons.
The group printed packets as strings of hexadecimal characters and attached them to birds flying between two lofts about 5 kilometres apart.
Nine packets were sent, but only four replies returned, so the test lost about 56 percent of its packets.
One surviving packet, a small strip of paper, was later presented to the proposal’s author, David Waitzman.
Christie’s first estimated it would sell for $2,000 to $3,000, but bidding has reached $4,000.
The auction is due to close on October 13.
A surviving IP packet from a 2001 pigeon-based internet experiment has received a $4,000 bid at Christie’s.
The Bergen Linux User Group tested the idea by attaching printed IP packets to racing pigeons and flying them between two lofts.
Nine packets were sent, and four replies came back, giving the experiment a packet-loss rate of about 56 percent.
The auction lot is a framed paper scroll measuring 41mm by 210mm.
Christie’s had estimated the packet would sell for between $2,000 and $3,000, and the auction was due to close on October 13.
- Who
- The Bergen Linux User Group carried out the experiment. Christie’s is auctioning a surviving packet.
- What
- A surviving IP packet from an experiment using pigeons to carry internet data has received a $4,000 bid.
- When
- The experiment took place on April 28, 2001. The auction was due to close on October 13; the year is not stated.
- Where
- The experiment connected two pigeon lofts in Norway, 5km apart. The packet is being auctioned at Christie’s.
- Why
- The group tested whether the internet could run on birds, inspired by a proposal for transmitting IP datagrams on avian carriers.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
artful hack
David Waitzman published RFC 1149, proposing a standard for transmitting IP datagrams on avian carriers.
The Bergen Linux User Group tested the proposal by sending packets between two lofts using racing pigeons.
The surviving packet was presented to Waitzman.
The Register reported that bidding for the packet at Christie’s had reached $4,000.
The auction was due to close.
- Current bid
- $4,000
- Initial estimate
- $2,000 to $3,000
- Experiment date
- April 28, 2001
- Distance between lofts
- 5km
- Packets sent and replies received
- Nine sent; four replies returned
- Lot dimensions
- 41mm by 210mm
Sources
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