The Internet & WebWeb Technology

Why 404?

The famous ‘Not Found’ number is not a room at CERN

You've met it a thousand times: 404, page not found. But why 404? Why not 12, or 9,000? Somebody chose that number. How?

You'll find out

  • The legend of the lost room at CERN
  • What a code's first digit tells you
  • The joke code that became permanent

Why it matters

Every page you open starts with one of these numbers. Its first digit tells you whether to fix, wait or move on.

About 3 min6 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 141 · Zone 16

Play this lesson

Free to play in your browser or on iPhone

More in this zone

  1. 136Myth-bustingYou Can't See the Great Wall From SpaceThe famous claim is a myth
  2. 137Data VisualizationThe Chart That LiesCut the bottom off an axis and a tiny change looks huge
  3. 138History of ScienceMeasuring the Earth With a StickOver 2,000 years ago a scholar measured the planet with shadows
  4. 139PerceptionThe Three BowlsOne hand says warm, the other says cold, in the same water
  5. 140GeometryWhy Bees Build HexagonsHexagons hold the most honey with the least wax
  6. 142TopologyThe Möbius StripA loop of paper with only one side and one edge
  7. 143Personal SecurityThe Password ManagerOne strong vault lets every account have its own secret
  8. 144EncryptionThe Only Perfect CipherA one-time pad is unbreakable if you never, ever reuse it