Every one of today's smartphones has thousands of times more processing power than the computers that guided astronauts to the moon.

The quote "Every one of today's smartphones has thousands of times more processing power than the computers that guided astronauts to the moon" by Peter Thiel highlights the remarkable advancements in technology over the past few decades. Thiel, a prominent entrepreneur and venture capitalist, points out that the computing power in modern smartphones far exceeds the capabilities of the computers used during the Apollo moon missions in the 1960s and 1970s. This serves to emphasize how far technology has progressed, making everyday devices like smartphones vastly more powerful than the specialized systems that once accomplished monumental feats like landing astronauts on the moon.

The quote underscores the incredible growth in computing technology, where even the most basic consumer electronics now possess more computational power than some of the most advanced systems from just a few decades ago. Thiel’s comparison makes it clear that technology has become not only more efficient and powerful but also more accessible to the general public. Smartphones, with their small size and multifunctionality, now outpace the capabilities of machines that were once at the cutting edge of scientific achievement.

The origin of this quote comes from Thiel's frequent reflections on the rapid pace of innovation and disruption in technology. As a co-founder of PayPal and an early investor in Facebook, Thiel has been at the forefront of the tech industry and has often discussed how exponential growth in fields like computing and artificial intelligence is changing the world. His statement is a way of putting the technological revolution into perspective, demonstrating how technology has evolved beyond what was once considered possible.

In essence, this quote highlights how much has changed in terms of computing power, emphasizing that today's technologies, like smartphones, are exponentially more advanced than the systems that enabled one of humanity's most significant achievements—landing on the moon. It serves as a reminder of the rapid pace of innovation and how technology continues to reshape our understanding of what is possible.