Whether you think of yourself as a technophobe or an IT expert, you will be surprised by these fascinating technology facts. From mobile apps to big data and even the Deep Web, the technological sphere is broader and stranger than most people suspect — and it has been for quite some time.

Read on to discover some of the most interesting tidbits from the tech world:

1. The QWERTY keyboard was explicitly designed to slow typing

Fans of the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard scoff at the inefficiencies of the QWERTY keyboard layout that most people use. Originally, however, QWERTY’s inefficiencies held a clear purpose: the keyboard design was intended to slow down users.

At one time, mechanical typewriters jammed if typists were too quick. QWERTY cut down on this problem. Today, we continue to use QWERTY because we’re accustomed to it, but many experts strongly favor alternate typing approaches.

2. It’s still possible to visit the world’s first webpage

The original webpage went live in 1991 and ran on a NeXT computer at CERN — the European Organization for Nuclear Research. This useful page was entirely dedicated to informing the public about the World Wide Web. Today, it primarily serves as a historical archive. Click here to check it out.

3. Email predated the World Wide Web

In today’s mobile age, it’s tough to imagine a world without the internet. Interestingly enough, however, the internet is a relative newcomer compared to email. Ray Tomlinson sent the very first email message to himself in 1971 — years before the internet came about. Tomlinson claims that his initial test emails were entirely forgettable.

4. A website tracks the internet’s age – and it’s not as anxious as you might think

At https://howoldistheinter.net, you can determine how many days the internet has existed — and how old you were when it was initially launched.

5. The majority of internet content exists on the Deep Web

The average internet user can only hope to scratch the surface of available content. While a prominent Dutch researcher believes that 4.5 million websites are currently indexed by search engines, the internet extends far beyond this easily searchable content. Estimates regarding the size and scope of the Deep Web vary, but some researchers believe that it is at least 400 times larger than the surface internet.

6. 3D printing is nothing new

The technology for 3D printing has been around for decades, but it has only begun to attract attention in the past few years. The concept initially appeared during the 1980s, when it was referred to as Rapid Prototyping. Charles Hull successfully secured a patent for the stereolithography apparatus in 1986, and yet, the first commercially available 3D printer was not offered for sale until 2009.

Since then significant market divergence has allowed for the introduction of 3D printing processes in several sectors and at every level of the market.

7. The vast majority of the world’s currency is digital

It’s no secret that digital currency plays a huge role in the modern economy, but most people are unaware of the extent to which it dominates. A mere 8% of global currency consists of physical money. The rest is stored electronically.

The way we interact with money is just beginning to change, however. With the rise of bitcoin and blockchain, experts believe that our entire approach to commercial transactions will evolve sooner rather than later.

If you’re struggling to keep up with the rapidly changing world of technology, you can benefit from the assistance of a managed IT services provider. Reach out today to learn more.