Last updated: October 2026 Β· 3 min read
Computers have shrunk from room-sized machines to chips smaller than a fingernail. Their history is full of surprises. Here are 10 incredible facts about computers.
10 incredible facts about computers
1. “Computer” was once a job
Before machines, a “computer” was a person who performed calculations by hand, often for astronomy, engineering or navigation.
2. The idea dates back to the 1830s
Charles Babbage designed the Analytical Engine, a mechanical general-purpose computer, and Ada Lovelace wrote what is considered the first computer algorithm for it.
3. Early computers were enormous
ENIAC, completed in 1945, weighed about 27 tonnes, filled a large room and used around 18,000 vacuum tubes.
4. The first “bug” was a real insect
In 1947, engineers working on the Harvard Mark II found a moth stuck in a relay and taped it into their logbook as the “first actual case of bug being found”.
5. India built its first computer in 1960
TIFRAC, developed at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai, became operational in 1960 as India’s first indigenous computer.
6. India built a supercomputer in 1991
C-DAC unveiled PARAM 8000 in 1991, India’s first supercomputer, after the country was denied access to imported supercomputers.
7. The first mouse was made of wood
Douglas Engelbart and his team built the first computer mouse in the 1960s using a wooden shell and two metal wheels.
8. Keyboards are arranged for old typewriters
The QWERTY layout was designed for typewriters in the 1870s and has stayed with us ever since.
9. Computers think in 0s and 1s
All digital data, from photos to songs, is stored and processed as binary digits, or bits.
10. Supercomputers now do quintillions of calculations
Exascale supercomputers, the first of which came online in 2022, can perform more than a billion billion calculations per second.
Frequently asked questions
Who is called the father of the computer?
Charles Babbage, for designing the first general-purpose mechanical computer.
What is the difference between hardware and software?
Hardware is the physical parts you can touch; software is the programs and instructions that run on it.
What is a supercomputer used for?
Weather forecasting, climate modelling, scientific research, drug discovery and complex engineering simulations.
Keep exploring
- What is an operating system?
- A short history of artificial intelligence
- More Technology explainers on Tiwaripedia
- Browse all incredible facts
Facts are based on widely accepted scientific, historical and official sources at the time of writing. Spotted something that needs updating? Let us know.
