Information (shortened as
info) is that which informs. In other words, it is the answer to a
question of some kind. It is also that from which
data and
knowledge can be derived, as data represents values attributed to parameters, and knowledge signifies understanding of real things or abstract concepts. As it regards data, the information's existence is not necessarily coupled to an observer (it exists beyond an
event horizon, for example), while in the case of knowledge, the information requires a cognitive observer.