Pigeon-powered internet packet goes under the hammer at Christie

A surviving internet packet that traveled on a pigeon’s leg has gone up for auction at Christie’s. The article reports that bids have reached $4,000.

The experiment was inspired by RFC 1149, a 1990 April Fools’ proposal by network engineer David Waitzman. It described sending internet data via carrier pigeons.

The Bergen Linux User Group put the idea into practice. Of nine packets sent, four received replies, resulting in roughly 56 percent packet loss.

Despite the poor reliability, the test showed that IP packets could be carried through the air without routers, cables or telecom providers. The auction puts a physical artifact from the unusual trial before collectors.