🧠 Inventions of 2002
Breakthroughs and everyday innovations from the year.
1 
Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
2 
Smartphone with Touch Interface
3 
Web Services APIs
4 
Social Networking Platform (Friendster)
5 
Online Payment Expansion
6 
Wi-Fi Security Standard (WPA)
7 
Digital Audio Streaming
8 
Medical Robotic Surgery Expansion
9 
High-Definition Digital Television
10 
Location-Based Mobile Services
HEADLINES ON July 31, 2002
Full News Archive
- Headline: Exploring North Dakota's Honey Production. Impact: The bees' ecstatic state led to a worldwide honey shortage, causing a rise in black market honey dealing and an underground society of honey smugglers in the 2020s. Sweet, right?. Fact: Did you know that bees communicate through dance? So technically, if you're allergic to bees, you're just rejecting their very enthusiastic social invitations..
- Headline: Restoration for 'Freedom' Murals at Archives. Impact: The restoration of the 'Freedom' murals caused an unexpected surge in patriotism among millennials, leading to an awkward trend of Americans wearing flag-themed onesies at BBQs.. Fact: Did you know that those murals have been restored more times than most people's gym memberships? Guess history really does need a touch-up every now and then..
- Headline: Telecommunications: Lament but Little Repair. Impact: The telecommunications crisis led to the creation of the first-ever 'Tech Support Hotline' for confused politicians, forever changing the way they handle technology... or not.. Fact: Fun fact: The only thing more confusing than the telecommunications industry is trying to explain it to your parents. Good luck with that!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 2002, here's what it would be worth in 2025.
Rank #1
NFLX
Netflix
Price in 2002
$0.12
Value in 2025
$785,671
Netflix - If you invested $1,000 in 2002, it would be worth $785,671 today (785.7x return)
Rank #2
AAPL
Apple
Price in 2002
$0.35
Value in 2025
$779,032
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 2002, it would be worth $779,032 today (779.0x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
The Ultimates #1
$25
Y: The Last Man #1
$300
New X-Men #128
$50.00
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 2 #1
$30
Spider-Man: Blue #1
$200
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Beyblade (Metal Series)
$250.00
Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game
$150.00
LEGO Bionicle
$150.00
Bratz Dolls
$150.00
RoboSapien
$200.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
$400.00
Metroid Prime
$22.98
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
$100.00
Kingdom Hearts
$120.00
Battlefield 1942
$50.47
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Yu-Gi-Oh! Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon 1st Edition Blue-Eyes White Dragon
$10,000
2002 Pokémon Neo Destiny Shining Charizard
$250,000
2002 Topps Chrome Tom Brady Refractor
$200,000
2002 Magic: The Gathering Set Foil Charmed Griffin
$20
2002 FIFA World Cup Ronaldo Panini Sticker
$28,800