1987 Computing & Technology Events — Verified Historical Highlights
1987 Computing & Technology Events — Verified Historical Highlights | TakeMeBack.to
- 22 Jan Human-powered aircraft sets new closed-course distance record at Edwards Air Force Base: On January 22, 1987, pilot Glenn Tremml flew the Michelob Light Eagle, a human-powered aircraft developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a distance of 37.2 miles in 2 hours and 13 minutes over a closed course at Edwards Air Force Base, setting a new world record for human-powered flight. source: aftc.af.mil
- 02 Apr IBM introduces Personal System/2 series of personal computers: On April 2, 1987, IBM unveiled the Personal System/2 (PS/2) series, marking a significant advancement in personal computing. The PS/2 line introduced the Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), a proprietary bus standard designed to replace the older Industry Standard Architecture (ISA). This series included models such as the Model 30, Model 50, Model 60, and Model 80, each offering varying levels of performance and features to cater to different market segments. source: computinghistory.org.uk
- 09 Apr Adrenal-to-brain transplants improve prognosis for Parkinson's disease: In April 1987, surgeons in Mexico City performed adrenal medulla tissue transplants into the caudate nucleus of Parkinson's patients, leading to marked neurological improvements. This procedure, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, marked a significant advancement in Parkinson's treatment. source: nejm.org
- 05 May France conducts nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll in the South Pacific: On May 5, 1987, France conducted an underground nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll in the South Pacific. This test was part of a series of nuclear explosions carried out by France at Mururoa Atoll between 1986 and 1988. The tests were conducted underground to minimize radioactive fallout, but they raised significant environmental and health concerns among neighboring countries and environmental groups. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 03 Jul First hot-air balloon transatlantic crossing: On July 2, 1987, Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand embarked on the first transatlantic flight in a hot-air balloon, the Virgin Atlantic Flyer, from Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine, USA, to Limavady, Northern Ireland. The journey covered 4,947 km (3,075 miles) in 31 hours and 41 minutes. After a brief landing in Northern Ireland, the balloon was ditched into the Irish Sea, and both aviators were rescued by the Royal Navy. source: guinnessworldrecords.com
- 08 Jul Sun Microsystems introduces first SPARC-based workstation: On July 8, 1987, Sun Microsystems unveiled the Sun-4/260, its first workstation utilizing the SPARC (Scalable Processor Architecture) RISC processor. This system offered 10 million instructions per second (MIPS) performance, significantly enhancing computational capabilities for tasks like computer-aided design and graphics processing. source: upi.com
- 31 Jul Docklands Light Railway Opens: Queen Elizabeth II formally inaugurated the Docklands Light Railway, marking the first driverless railway system in Great Britain, a significant milestone in transportation technology.
- 02 Sep Philips introduces CD-Video technology: On September 2, 1987, Philips introduced CD-Video, a format combining audio and video on a single compact disc. This innovation allowed up to 20 minutes of digital audio and 5 minutes of analog video to be stored on a standard 12 cm disc. Despite its novelty, CD-Video faced limited success and was eventually discontinued in the early 1990s. source: upi.com
- 21 Sep First Conference on Artificial Life held in Los Alamos, New Mexico: The inaugural Conference on Artificial Life, officially titled "An Interdisciplinary Workshop on the Synthesis and Simulation of Living Systems," took place from September 21 to September 25, 1987, at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Organized by Christopher Langton, the conference aimed to explore the synthesis and simulation of living systems, marking a significant milestone in the field of artificial life. source: alife.org
- 01 Oct Brundtland Commission Report Published: The Brundtland Commission, officially known as the World Commission on Environment and Development, published its report titled "Our Common Future" in October 1987. This seminal document introduced the concept of sustainable development, defining it as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." The report emphasized the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic issues, advocating for integrated solutions to global challenges. source: britannica.com
- 13 Oct Walter Brattain, co-inventor of the transistor, passes away: Walter Brattain, an American physicist and co-inventor of the transistor, died on October 13, 1987. His work, alongside John Bardeen and William Shockley, revolutionized electronics and paved the way for modern computing. Brattain's contributions to science earned him a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1956, highlighting the significance of his innovations in technology. source: britannica.com
- 01 Nov British Rail Class 43 sets diesel speed record: On November 1, 1987, British Rail's Class 43 High-Speed Train (HST) achieved a world record for diesel traction by reaching 148.5 mph (238 km/h) during a test run between Darlington and York. This record remains unbroken as of 2023. source: 125group.org.uk
- 07 Dec Microsoft Windows 2.0 Release: Microsoft releases Windows 2.0, an important milestone in the evolution of personal computer operating systems that would help shape the future of computing.
- 18 Dec Perl programming language first released: On December 18, 1987, Larry Wall released Perl 1.0, a general-purpose programming language designed for text processing and system administration tasks. Influenced by languages like C, AWK, and sed, Perl quickly gained popularity for its flexibility and powerful regular expression capabilities. source: wired.com
- 30 Dec Pendolino Train Debuts in Italy: The innovative Pendolino train made its first appearance in Italy, representing a significant advancement in high-speed rail technology.
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