The 1980s and the 1990s

I was born in the 1980s my generation sometimes considered by historians and experts as part of Generation X (Gen X) and Generation Y (Gen Y or Millenials). Whatever generation we belong to this generation has the unique opportunity to witness and experience part of the old world with nascent technology and the new world with advanced technology.

In the 1980s the most widely used form of communication technologies are television, radio, landline telephony, telegram, pager, and analog cellular phones. Children at the time are mostly playing outside with their fellow children. Computer games back then are mostly 8-bit, like the first Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, Gallaga, and Battle City.

_{Super Mario Bros. image from Pixabay by Alexa_Photos}

When it comes to science and technology the 1980s have the latest and sophisticated technologies available at the time but not as sophisticated and advanced just like today. At the time the world has seen some of the most advanced Jet Fighters like the F-15, F-16, F-18, and F-117 Nighthawk. The 1960s have seen the SR-71 Blackbird, the Apollo Moon Landing, and the 1970s have the F-14 Tomcat.

_{F-16 Fighting Falcon image from Pixabay by Wikilmages}

In the 1980s the backbone of the internet began to form when ARPANET adopted TCP/IP and then networks began to be connected with other networks. Then in 1989, the World Wide Web was invented by Tim Berners-Lee then the Dot-com bubble ensued. The World Wide Web is where we consume or access information from the internet through the use of web browsers.

_{Sir Tim Berners-Lee image from Wikipedia}

In the medical field, it has seen medical breakthroughs such as the vaccine for Hepatitis B, MRI, and Laser Surgery. But the decade has also seen the beginning of one of the most deadly pandemics the world has ever seen, the HIV/AIDS pandemic that is affecting the whole world until now. Although medical experts and the whole world now know how to control the pandemic there is still no vaccine available to treat or prevent it.

Present Day

All of the advanced technology that we used today has its roots from the past decades like touchscreen mobile phones, the internet, computers, vehicles, and airplanes.

In military technology, there's arguably the most advanced fighter planes the world has to offer, the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II. In mobile phones, there's the iPhone and the Galaxy. In the automotive industry, there's Tesla. Space payload delivery is now commercialized with SpaceX and Blue Origin.

_{F-22 Raptor image from Pixabay by Wikilmages}

Laptops, tablets, desktop, and server computers are in their most advanced status. Although Quantum Computer is now in the works scientists estimate that it will take some time before it will be commercially viable.

In 2009 Bitcoin was launched by its pseudonymous creator named Satoshi Nakamoto then Blockchain and Cryptocurrency took center stage, the ICO craze has begun and faded so fast. Blockchain fave the way for security-minded individuals to ditch centralized authorities.

Social networking is at its height. Everyone with a smartphone and data connection seemed to be socializing more than ever before. Armed with a smartphone and digital camera everyone seems trying to be famous and earn in blogging/vlogging.

Computer gaming is now considered a sport, gamers called it eSports. Valve's "The International 2019" has the biggest prize pool of any game in the history of eSports exceeding $34 Million dollars in 2019.

$34,351,362 - Dota 2 - The International 2019

Medical scientist now has in their disposal the most advanced technology science has to offer. But challenges are ever-present like the current global pandemic that is happening right now, the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the exception of World War I and World War II and the events that came with them, I think this generation has almost seen it all, pandemics, medical and technological breakthroughs, histories made, and war.

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