Story: The First Email Ever Sent

Back in the late 1960s, the U.S. Department of Defense wanted to make sure that communication could continue even if part of the network was destroyed. At the time, they were worried about attacks or disasters that could cut off communication. This led to the creation of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), the very first version of the internet.

ARPANET was designed to connect research universities, military bases, and government offices using computers to share information. The key idea was to allow computers to send messages to each other using packet switching. This system broke messages into small pieces (called packets) and sent them to their destination, where they would be put back together. This method was much stronger than older systems, where a single problem could shut down the entire network.

In 1969, the very first connection was made between two computers on ARPANET. The first message was meant to be the word “LOGIN,” but the system was so new that it crashed after just two letters—“L” and “O”—were sent! This showed just how fragile and experimental the early internet was.

Then, in 1971, a computer engineer named Ray Tomlinson made a breakthrough. He figured out how to send messages between users on different computers. He used the @ symbol to separate the person’s name from the computer name, creating the email system we use today. Ray sent the very first email, and the message was just a simple string of letters—“QWERTYUIOP”—a test to see if it worked.

Even though the message was random and didn’t mean anything, it was a huge step forward in creating electronic communication. At the time, Ray didn’t realize how important it was. He thought it was just a small technical test, but it ended up changing the world.

As time went on, email became an important tool for researchers. The network grew, and more people connected their computers to ARPANET. Eventually, ARPANET turned into the internet that we all use today, connecting people around the world.

Now, the internet connects billions of people, and that first email with its simple “QWERTYUIOP” message is a reminder of how small experiments can grow into life-changing inventions. The ability to send messages instantly across the world has changed everything—from how we work and play to how we stay in touch with family and friends.