Internet traffic is controlled by the "logic of the sun" in Solar Protocol, a solar-powered network whose creators argue for digital design within planetary limits.
Solar Protocol involves a series of solar-powered servers, set up in locations across the world's time zones and serving its hosted websites from whichever spot is enjoying the most sunlight.
This subverts the typical operation of the internet, as usually when an internet user goes to access a website, their request is directed to whichever server gives them the quickest response ? typically the one that is closest geographically.
The Solar Protocol website is one of three things currently hosted on the network
The website might load slower for someone using the Solar Protocol, but the process will make use of the most naturally available energy, so it is optimised in a different way. The network's creators ? artists and New York University professors Tega Brain, Alex Nathanson and Benedetta Piantella ? consider this the "logic of the sun", a way of designing by considering earthly dynamics such as the sun's interaction with the Earth.
They created Solar Protocol to get people thinking about the links between energy use and digital design, a topic that they say is hugely overlooked.
The solar-powered servers are located all over the world, such as this one in Queens, New York
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