Inventions & Breakthroughs of December 2001
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Portable Music Player (iPod)
2 
Wi-Fi Public Hotspots
3 
Online Encyclopedia (Wikipedia)
4 
3G Mobile Networks
5 
Cloud Computing Concept
6 
Digital Video Compression (H.264)
7 
Online Photo Sharing
8 
Instant Messaging Platforms
9 
Tablet Computer Concept
10 
Satellite Broadband Internet
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON December 4, 2001
Full News Archive
- Headline: Possible Anthrax Contamination in Mail. Impact: The brief panic over anthrax-laced letters led to a nationwide obsession with mail inspection. As a result, the modern postal service became the world's most paranoid delivery service, leading to the invention of express delivery — because who doesn’t want their pizza delivered in a biohazard bag?. Fact: Did you know that after this scare, people started hiring private detectives to inspect their mail? Just kidding, but wouldn't that have been a fun side hustle?.
- Headline: Misidentified Survivors of 9/11 Attacks. Impact: The revelation that many presumed dead from 9/11 were alive led to a small spike in conspiracy theories, suggesting that the government was secretly keeping them in a witness protection program — or maybe they just took an extended vacation. Either way, the truth became as slippery as a politician's promise.. Fact: Fun fact: If you ever get mistakenly listed as dead, just go on vacation! It’s the ultimate 'I’m not dead yet' statement!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 2001, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #3
AAPL
Apple
Price in 2001
$0.22
2025 dataset value
$1,220,264
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 2001, it would be worth $1,220,264 today (1220.3x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Amazing Spider-Man #36
$200
Ultimate Spider-Man #1
$50
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1
$50
Y: The Last Man #1
$150
American Gods #1
$25
🧸 Top 5 Toys
LEGO BIONICLE
$150.00
Nintendo Game Boy Advance
$540.00
Harry Potter Movie Merchandise (Action Figures)
$120.00
Bratz Dolls
$150.00
Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game
$100.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Halo: Combat Evolved
$100.00
Grand Theft Auto III
$200.00
Super Smash Bros. Melee
$74.00
Final Fantasy X
$200.00
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
$25.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Yu-Gi-Oh! Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon - 1st Edition Blue-Eyes White Dragon
$10,000
2001 Topps Chrome Traded #T247 Ichiro Suzuki Rookie Card
$471
2001 Upper Deck Tiger Woods #1 Rookie Card
$25,100
2001 Pokémon Neo Revelation 1st Edition Holo Houndoom #8
$1,200
2001 SP Authentic Michael Jordan #MM1 Auto Jersey
$40,000