Science & Technology — 1987
Discoveries, inventions, and technological breakthroughs of 1987.
Table of Contents
Science & Technology — 1987
Discoveries, inventions, and technological breakthroughs of 1987.
| File | Date | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Supernova 1987A | 1987-02-23 | A core-collapse supernova in the Large Magellanic Cloud — the brightest seen from Earth since 1604 and the first source of directly detected supernova neutrinos. |
| FDA Approves AZT for AIDS Treatment (March 20, 1987) | 1987-03-20 | On March 20, 1987, the FDA approved zidovudine (AZT/Retrovir), the first antiretroviral drug for HIV/AIDS, in the fastest drug-approval process in FDA history to that point. |
| IBM PS/2 Launch (April 2, 1987) | 1987-04-02 | IBM introduces the Personal System/2, standardizing VGA graphics, PS/2 ports, and 3.5-inch floppies; its proprietary MCA bus is rejected by clone makers, effectively ending IBM's control of the PC market. |
| DNA Fingerprinting Enters the Courtroom (1987) | 1987-11-13 | On November 13, 1987 Robert Melias became the first person in the world convicted using DNA evidence, opening a new era in forensic science. |
| Microsoft Windows 2.0 (December 9, 1987) | 1987-12-09 | Microsoft's second graphical environment introduces overlapping windows, desktop icons, and a protected-mode Windows/386 variant, triggering the landmark Apple v. Microsoft "look and feel" lawsuit. |
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