The History of the Internet: A Timeline
1950s–1960s: The Birth of the Internet
- 1957: The Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth. This event sparks concern in the United States, leading to increased investment in science and technology.
- 1961: The United States launches the first human into space, Alan Shepard. This event further reinforces the need for a reliable and fast communication system.
- 1962: J.C.R. Licklider publishes "A Vision of a Man-Computer Symbiosis," which outlines a vision for a future where humans and computers work together in close collaboration.
1970s: The Development of the ARPANET
- 1969: A group of researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) develop the first prototype of the ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network).
- 1971: The first message is sent over the ARPANET from UCLA to Stanford Research Institute.
- 1972: The ARPANET connects 15 universities and research institutions, forming the backbone of the modern Internet.
1980s: The Rise of the Personal Computer and the Internet
- 1976: ARPANET adopts the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) suite, which becomes the foundation for the future Internet.
- 1981: The IBM Personal Computer (PC) is introduced, making affordable computers available to the general public.
- 1983: The ARPANET is split into MILNET, a military network, and NSFNET, a network for civilian use.
1990s: The World Wide Web and the Internet Boom
- 1989: Tim Berners-Lee develops the World Wide Web (WWW) at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
- 1993: The first web browser, Mosaic, is released, making the web accessible to a wider audience.
- 1995: The Internet is commercialized, and many new companies and services emerge.
2000s–Present: The Mobile Web and the Cloud
- 2000: The Internet bubble bursts, leading to a decline in Internet-related companies.
- 2004: The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) releases HTML 5, a new standard for web development.
- 2007: The first iPhone is released, marking the beginning of the mobile web era.
- 2010s: Cloud computing becomes mainstream, providing access to powerful computing resources over the Internet.