Inventions & Breakthroughs of December 2003
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Social Media Platform (MySpace)
2 
Voice Search Technology
3 
Electric Hybrid Vehicle (Prius)
4 
Online Video Streaming Platform
5 
3D Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
6 
Wi-Fi Home Routers
7 
Open-Source Web Browser (Firefox)
8 
Digital Rights Management Systems
9 
Medical Electronic Health Records
10 
Spam Filtering Algorithms
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON December 30, 2003
Full News Archive
- Headline: Spammer's Legal Struggle and Future Plans. Impact: Alan Ralsky's spamming empire inadvertently sparked the rise of email filters, which led to the creation of the 'Spam' folder. Fast forward to today, and this has resulted in countless relationships being saved by preventing couples from ever seeing their partner's embarrassing shopping habits.. Fact: Did you know that the average person receives about 121 spam emails per day? But hey, at least it keeps the 'Delete' button in shape!.
- Headline: Assessing Mad Cow Disease Risk in US Cattle. Impact: The fear surrounding mad cow disease inadvertently led to an unprecedented boom in the vegetarian movement. As a result, kale became a household name, and hipsters have been trying to make it trendy ever since, all while pretending they actually like it.. Fact: Mad cow disease, or BSE, was so concerning that it made people reconsider their meat choices. Ironically, it also led to the popularity of the phrase, 'I can't even.'.
- Headline: U.S. Bike Makers Seek Dominance in Europe. Impact: The fierce competition among U.S. bike makers in Europe set off a chain reaction that birthed the modern cycling craze, which culminated in today’s obsession with spandex and the annual 'Tour de France' where everyone pretends they enjoy torturing themselves on two wheels.. Fact: Did you know that the first bicycle was invented in the early 19th century? If only those inventors could see how far we’ve pedaled into the realm of overpriced bikes and 'crunches' that never actually happen..
- Headline: Bus Thief's Trip To Kennedy Raises Alarm, And Questions. Impact: David M Slade's bus thievery incident prompted cities nationwide to install surveillance cameras on public transport. This led to a sharp increase in the number of people who now look like they’re auditioning for reality TV while riding the bus.. Fact: Interestingly, every stolen bus incident has led to a new police procedural TV show. So if you're ever bored, just turn on your TV and you might find a dramatized version of Slade's escapades!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 2003, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
AAPL
Apple
Price in 2003
$0.22
2025 dataset value
$1,226,446
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 2003, it would be worth $1,226,446 today (1226.4x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
The Walking Dead #1
$75
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume II #3
$50
Y: The Last Man #10
$80
1602 #1
$30
Green Arrow #26
$150
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Beyblade: Metal Fusion
$300.00
Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game
$300.00
RoboSapien
$200.00
Bratz Dolls
$150.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 Series)
$200.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
$150.00
Call of Duty
$100.25
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
$609.50
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
$60.00
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
$80.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
LeBron James 2003-04 Topps Chrome Rookie Card #111
$250,000
2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James Rookie Patch Auto #78
$2,400,000
2003-04 Topps Chrome Refractor Dwyane Wade Rookie Card #114
$1,504.99
2003-04 Upper Deck SP Authentic Carmelo Anthony Rookie Auto #148
$19,544
2003-04 Fleer Ultra Gold Medallion LeBron James Rookie Card #171
$800