The Internet & WebWeb Architecture

The Web Is Rotting

Half the links in US Supreme Court opinions no longer work

You tap a link in an old article and hit an error page. How much of today's web will vanish too?

You'll find out

  • Where the Supreme Court's links lead
  • How fast an old page's links die
  • Who keeps copies of the vanished web

Why it matters

Every link you share is a promise the web may not keep. Knowing why helps you cite, save and trust what you read.

About 3 min6 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 195 · Zone 22

Play this lesson

Free to play in your browser or on iPhone

More in this zone

  1. 190GeometryWhy Bubbles Are RoundA sphere holds the most air with the least skin
  2. 191Multisensory PerceptionThe McGurk EffectWhat you see changes what you hear
  3. 192LogicThe Hat PuzzleA team can coordinate perfectly without talking
  4. 193Space WeatherThe Northern LightsSolar wind paints the sky by exciting gases high above us
  5. 194ElectronicsThe TransistorA switch with no moving parts, and your phone has billions
  6. 196Account RecoveryYour Mother's Maiden NameSecurity questions are often answered on your own social media
  7. 197Modular ArithmeticClock MathHuge numbers reveal their endings when you count like a clock
  8. 198ElectricityElectricity Is SlowElectrons crawl along a wire; the signal races