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256 = 2⁸ — the byte
256 = 2⁸ — the number of values a single byte (8 bits) can hold. This is the foundation of digital technology: RGB colors range 0–255, IP address octets range 0–255, ASCII has 256 positions.
Science
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256 colors — early computer palette
The 256-color palette (8-bit graphics) was the PC standard in the 1980s–90s. VGA monitors, DOS-era games, and early websites ran on it. This style is experiencing a nostalgic revival in pixel art.
Culture
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256 — a perfect square
256 = 16² = 4⁴ = 2⁸. It is simultaneously the fourth power of four and the eighth power of two. This 'power universality' makes 256 special in mathematics and programming.
Numerology