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TechnologySurprise 5/5Difficulty 3/5Reviewed on September 13, 2026

The world's first webcam was created to monitor a coffee pot.

Why it is true

In 1991, researchers at the University of Cambridge connected a camera to a computer to check whether the lab coffee pot was full, without having to walk over. The camera transmitted images every few minutes. The idea spread and gave rise to the first webcam.

Source: Computer History Museum

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