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In 1965, Donald Davies, a Welsh computer scientist at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), independently developed the concept of packet switching. Packet switching is a method of data transmission where information is broken down into smaller, manageable "packets" before being sent over a network. Each packet can travel independently from the sender to the receiver along various paths and is reassembled into the original message at the destination. -
(Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) was the first operational packet-switching network and a precursor to the modern internet. Developed in the late 1960s by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), ARPANET was initially designed as a way for government and research institutions to share information across different locations securely and efficiently. -
Ray Tomlinson invents email on ARPANET, introducing the "@" symbol. -
First international connections added to ARPANET in Norway and the UK. -
TCP/IP becomes the standard protocol for ARPANET, creating the framework for internet data transmission. -
DNS is introduced, allowing easy-to-remember web addresses like ".com" and ".org". -
Tim Berners-Lee proposes the World Wide Web, an internet-based hypertext system. -
Berners-Lee creates the first web browser, called WorldWideWeb (later renamed Nexus). -
The World Wide Web opens to the public, making internet use widely accessible. -
The Mosaic web browser launches, popularizing the web and adding images. -
Netscape Navigator is released, becoming the most popular browser of the early internet. -
Internet commerce begins as Amazon and eBay go live. -
Google, now the leading search engine, is founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. -
Wikipedia is launched, becoming a massive, open-source information resource. -
MySpace and other social media platforms gain popularity. -
Facebook is launched, initially for Harvard students only, changing social media forever. -
YouTube launches, revolutionizing video content sharing online. -
Apple’s iPhone release boosts mobile internet access significantly. -
Instagram launches, marking the rise of mobile-based social media. -
The pandemic causes a massive increase in internet use for remote work, learning, and socializing.