Tech & Science · 2004
The Social Web Awakens and Space Expands
In 2004, the internet underwent a massive evolution as social media and cloud platforms redefined digital connection. Simultaneously, humanity pushed deeper into the cosmos with robot landings on Mars and historic private spaceflights.
- January 2004 | Space Exploration
Spirit and Opportunity Land on Mars
NASA's twin robotic rovers touched down on opposite sides of Mars, beginning years of groundbreaking exploration that uncovered definitive evidence of ancient liquid water.
- February 4, 2004 | Social Media
Launch of Thefacebook
Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg launched a campus-only directory called Thefacebook, accidentally firing the opening shot of the modern social media era.
- April 1, 2004 | Web Service
Google Introduces Gmail
Google unveiled a webmail service offering an unprecedented one gigabyte of free storage, proving that web applications could outperform desktop software.
- July 1, 2004 | Deep Space Mission
Cassini-Huygens Enters Saturn's Orbit
After a seven-year journey, the joint NASA and ESA probe slipped into Saturn's orbit, capturing breathtaking images of the ringed giant and its mysterious moons.
- October 2004 | Materials Science
Isolation of Graphene
Physicists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov used adhesive tape to isolate a single atomic layer of carbon, revealing the miraculous super-material known as graphene.
- October 4, 2004 | Aerospace
SpaceShipOne Wins Ansari X Prize
The experimental spaceplane reached suborbital space twice in two weeks, becoming the first privately funded crewed spacecraft and launching commercial spaceflight.
- November 9, 2004 | Web Browser
Mozilla Releases Firefox 1.0
Mozilla launched its open-source browser featuring tabbed browsing and pop-up blocking, successfully shattering Internet Explorer's stagnant monopoly.
- November 23, 2004 | Video Games
Blizzard Launches World of Warcraft
Blizzard Entertainment released a massive multiplayer online role-playing game that transformed Azeroth into a global cultural phenomenon.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?