Analysis

Where Does The Phrase ‘Computer Bug’ Come From?

Ian Haworth
Where Does The Phrase ‘Computer Bug’ Come From?
Bettmann via Getty Images

In our hugely tech-literate world, most of us understand — on a basic level at the very least — what a “computer bug” is. The term is used so often in general life and pop culture that it’s actually hard to avoid. Famous examples include Jeff Goldblum’s use of a bug (and a convenient USB port) to take down an enemy invasion in Independence Day, or the cliché, “it’s not a bug, it’s a feature.”

But where does the term “computer bug” actually come from?

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