With the arrival of the year 2000, we already felt we were in the future, yet many things that seem indispensable to us today were not yet available to us. Here is a selection of the technological innovations that changed the world and our way of life in the third millennium.
Table of Contents
8 inventions that changed the world since 2000
The following are some of the most revolutionizing technologies since 2000 that are now indispensable:
1. GPS and hybrid cars (year 2000)
The Global Positioning System was created in 1973 by the US Department of Defence for military purposes. But it is only since May 2000 that access to the technology has been open to everyone, albeit with an accuracy limited to 10-20 metres. This was enough for the birth and widespread diffusion of satellite navigators and geolocalization systems.
The world’s first hybrid car was the Toyota Prius, which was launched in Japan in 1997 but did not hit the world market until 2000. Now in its sixth series, the Prius is still the world’s best-selling hybrid car and has pioneered the electric revolution that has just begun.
2. Wikipedia (2001)
15 January 2001 saw the birth of Wikipedia, the most widely consulted online encyclopaedia in the world. Before its advent, access to knowledge required leafing through noble (and expensive) volumes, which, however, had to be replaced and updated over time.
With the spread of the Internet came the first user-written, free and multilingual encyclopaedia, today an indispensable source of knowledge.
3. Map of the human genome (2003)
The decryption of the genetic information contained in our DNA was announced by scientists in 2003.
In reality, this decoding is not completed until 2022, but in the meantime, the information acquired has enabled giant steps forward in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases.
4. Social network (2004)
The first ‘social network’ service dates back to 1997 with the name SixDegrees, then came Linkedin and Myspace (2003), among others.
But it is with Facebook, since 2004, that we are witnessing the boom of a phenomenon that by 2022 will involve 4.7 billion people worldwide. Namely, the 94% of those who have access to the Internet.
5. Smartphones (2007)
Raise your hand if you could do without one. Yet, no more than 15 years ago, the ‘smart phone’ did not exist.
Phone, camera, computer, alarm clock, clock, music player, navigator and a thousand other apps were for the first time united in Apple’s iPhone.
6. Bitcoin and 3D printing (2009)
The first version of Bitcoin, the world’s most widely used virtual currency, was launched in 2009 by Japanese computer engineer Satoshi Nakamoto. This invention has since led to the proliferation of over 2,000 different cryptocurrencies, influencing the world of finance and investment.
The procedure for printing in three dimensions originated in 1986 with stereolithography. But it is since 2009, with the expiry of the patent on Fdm (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology, that we have witnessed its diffusion in multiple fields, from medicine to construction, from research to food.
7. Virtual assistant (2011)
The first one launched on the market was Siri (Apple). Thus crowning a journey in the field of voice commands started by Bell in 1952.
Microsoft arrived in 2014 with Cortana. But the breakthrough came with Alexa and Google Home, which integrate virtual assistants with the home automation of modern homes.
8. TV on demand (2014)
The Internet has revolutionised the way we watch TV. While zapping or renting DVDs was the norm up to ten years ago, today more and more people rely on platforms that offer streaming content on demand for an annual fee. The boom came with Netflix, then came Apple TV, Prime Video, Disney+.
Read also: Fourth Industrial Revolution: what is it and what are its distinctive technologies
