Inventions & Breakthroughs of September 2002
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
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
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON September 2, 2002
Full News Archive
- Headline: New Yorkers Embrace Remote Work Trend. Impact: This shift in work culture led to the creation of pajamas as the official work uniform, sparking a global trend that made 'business casual' a joke among actual professionals.. Fact: Did you know that working from home originally meant working in your pajamas? Because who needs pants when you're just an email away?.
- Headline: Hip-Hop: Cashing In on Brand Partnerships. Impact: The success of hip-hop sales led to an explosion of product placements in music, eventually resulting in an entire genre of songs dedicated to brand endorsements. Imagine a world where 'Baby Shark' is actually just an ad for a snack food.. Fact: Did you know that hip-hop artists rhyming about their own products is just an elaborate way of admitting they can't afford good advertising?.
- Headline: Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis Revisited. Impact: The nostalgia for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis's partnership inspired countless failed comedy duos in the future, leading to a world where every buddy comedy feels like a sad echo of their greatness.. Fact: Did you know that their partnership ended because they couldn't agree on who was funnier? Spoiler alert: it wasn't Jerry..
- Headline: LINKING WEST NILE AND TRANSPLANTS MAY TAKE WEEKS. Impact: If it turns out the West Nile virus was linked to organ transplants, it could open the door to a new genre of medical dramas: 'Transplant Gone Wrong,' where organs come with a side of viral surprises.. Fact: Did you know that the CDC's deliberation over this case took so long that people started using 'West Nile' as a trendy cocktail name? Cheers to misinformation!.
- Headline: Critic's Notebook; Gauguin and Eakins, Driven but Worlds Apart. Impact: The juxtaposition of Gauguin and Eakins in exhibitions led art critics to invent the concept of 'artistic rivalry,' thus paving the way for every artist to be compared to another—even if they were painting entirely different genres.. Fact: Did you know that art critics often have the power to turn a simple brush stroke into a full-blown existential crisis? Thanks, Roberta Smith!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 2002, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
NFLX
Netflix
Price in 2002
$0.12
2025 dataset value
$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
2025 dataset value
$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