On This Year

Did you know that in 1993, CERN made the World Wide Web software freely available to anyone by releasing it into the public domain?

Did you know that in 1994, Jeff Bezos founded Amazon as a small online bookstore, first incorporating the business under the name Cadabra in Bellevue, Washington?

Did you know that in 1995, Microsoft introduced the Start menu and taskbar with the release of Windows 95?

Did you know that in 1996, IBM’s Deep Blue computer beat reigning world chess champion Garry Kasparov in a classical game?

Did you know that in 1997, J.K. Rowling introduced the world to Harry Potter, launching what would become one of the most successful book series in publishing history?

Did you know that in 1998, Google was founded by Stanford students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, turning their search research project into a real company?

Did you know that in 1999, Napster launched and kicked off the first truly mainstream wave of online peer-to-peer music sharing?

Did you know that in 2000, the first long-term crew moved into the International Space Station, turning it into a permanently inhabited outpost in space?

Did you know that in 2001, Wikipedia was launched as a free online encyclopedia that anyone could edit?

Did you know that in 2002, euro banknotes and coins were introduced as physical money across 12 European countries?

Did you know that the number 2026 in Roman numerals is written as MMXXVI?

Did you know that in 2003, the first fossilized remains of a four-winged dinosaur were discovered?