The expression "2^8" represents the mathematical operation of raising the number 2 to the power of 8. This means multiplying 2 by itself a total of 8 times: 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2. The result of this calculation is 256. In computer science, powers of 2 are significant because they relate to binary systems, which are the foundation of digital computing. For example, 8 bits can represent 256 different values, ranging from 0 to 255, making "2^8" an important concept in data representation and storage.