Tech & Science · 1988
Digital Worms, Stealth Wings, and Space Planes
In 1988, personal computing and networking expanded dramatically alongside pivotal milestones in space exploration and fiber-optic communication. The year marked both the dawn of internet cybersecurity threats and bold new frontiers in aerospace and home entertainment.
- November 2, 1988 | Cybersecurity
The Morris Worm
Cornell student Robert Tappan Morris released the first major computer worm across the ARPANET, inadvertently crashing thousands of Unix systems and birthing modern internet security.
- October 12, 1988 | Workstation
NeXT Computer Unveiling
Steve Jobs revealed his sleek, black magnesium NeXTcube workstation, introducing an innovative object-oriented operating system that would later lay the groundwork for macOS.
- October 29, 1988 | Japan | Gaming
Sega Mega Drive Release
Sega launched its landmark 16-bit home console in Japan, sparking a fierce rivalry with Nintendo and elevating arcade-quality graphics in living rooms.
- September 29, 1988 | Spaceflight
Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-26)
NASA successfully resumed human spaceflight for the first time since the Challenger disaster, launching Space Shuttle Discovery on a flawless four-day mission.
- November 15, 1988 | Spaceflight
Soviet Buran Spaceplane Flight
The Soviet Union launched its reusable Buran shuttle on an uncrewed maiden voyage, successfully orbiting Earth twice and landing entirely on automated autopilot.
- December 14, 1988 | Telecom
TAT-8 Transatlantic Cable
The first transatlantic fiber-optic cable went operational, carrying up to 40,000 simultaneous phone calls and vastly increasing international data transfer speeds.
- November 22, 1988 | Aviation
B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Unveiling
Northrop publicly rolled out the futuristic B-2 Spirit stealth bomber in Palmdale, California, showcasing revolutionary radar-evading flying-wing technology.
- January 1988 | Pharmaceuticals
Prozac US Market Launch
Eli Lilly officially released Prozac in the United States, revolutionizing psychiatric medicine as the first widely prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?