Tech & Science · 2003
Digital Music, Mapping DNA, and Orbiting Dreams
In 2003, digital technology redefined communication and commerce while biological science unlocked the complete human genetic code. Amid high-stakes space exploration and aviation milestones, the seeds of the modern web and digital lifestyle took firm root.
- April 28, 2003 | Digital Software
iTunes Music Store Launch
Apple revolutionized the music industry by offering a legal catalog of 200,000 digital songs for 99 cents each, selling a million tracks in its first week.
- April 14, 2003 | Genetics Discovery
Human Genome Project Completion
Scientists successfully completed the full sequencing of the human genome, mapping 99 percent of the human species' DNA to high accuracy.
- October 15, 2003 | Space Exploration
Shenzhou 5 Human Spaceflight
Astronaut Yang Liwei orbited Earth 14 times aboard Shenzhou 5, making China the third nation to independently launch a human into space.
- August 29, 2003 | Telecommunications
Initial Release of Skype
Developers in Estonia released a peer-to-peer voice calling application that allowed users around the globe to talk over the internet for free.
- September 2003 | Paleoanthropology
Discovery of Homo Floresiensis
Archaeologists in Indonesia unearthed fossils of a tiny, previously unknown ancient human species nicknamed the 'Hobbit' in Liang Bua cave.
- June–July 2003 | NASA Space Mission
Launch of Mars Exploration Rovers
NASA launched twin robotic rovers Spirit and Opportunity on a mission to explore the surface geology and ancient water history of Mars.
- October 24, 2003 | Commercial Aviation
Retirement of Concorde
British Airways and Air France grounded the supersonic Concorde after its final commercial flights, ending an era of commercial supersonic air travel.
- May 27, 2003 | Web Software
Launch of WordPress
Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little released the first version of WordPress, an open-source blogging platform that transformed modern web publishing.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?