A Brief History of Cyberpunk

By wiltonk97

  • Early use of the word "punk" to signify a criminal.

  • The word "cybernetics" coined by Norbert Wiener

  • The Book '1984' is published by George Orwell.

  • Punk is born; The Ramones release their first album.

  • Punk gets notorious; Never Mind the Bullocks - Here's the Sex Pistols is released.

  • First software published.

  • Gibson attends ArmadiloCon and reads the opening chapter of his work-in-progress, Neuromancer. "Behind the Mirrorshade: A Look at Punk SF" panel held.

  • Tron released.

  • Blade Runner released.

  • The short story "Cyberpunk" by Bruce Bethke published in Amazing Science Fiction Stories; this is, allegedly, the first use of the term 'cyberpunk' anywhere.

  • In Japan, robots kill four humans in separate incidents.

  • Neuromancer published; "cyberspace" coined.

  • Terminator released.

  • "Michelangelo" virus media panic begins.

  • "Michelangelo" doomsday; nothing happens

  • Nemisis released. Gibson will later praise the film as "sort of early Gibson meets Terminator 2 ... it has a few bits that are just brilliant Cyberpunk."

  • Western news sources identify Bulgaria as the leading exporter of computer viruses

  • A Cyberpunk Manifesto published by Christian As. Kirtchev

  • Blade Runner computer game released by Westwood.

  • The Cyberpunk Project: Cyberpunk Information Database opened.

  • Minority Report released.

  • Sony files a patent describing a device that would transmit sensory data directly into the brain

  • US military develop the electromagnetic pulse gun, a microwave weapon and a rifle capable of firing electric bullets

  • The first cellphone viruses start to appear.

  • The FDA approved eating meat from cloned animals.

  • Robots start to patrol in Iraq, controlled by human operators.

  • A cross human-cow embryo survives a third straight day after being fertilised at Newcastle University, England.

    A cross human-cow embryo survives a third straight day after being fertilized at Newcastle University, England. A director for embryonic stem cell laboratories at the Australian Stem Cell Centre said that the "99 per cent human" embryo could improve research within the field of human diseases. The Catholic Church in England however said that the creation was "monstrous" and says that the later destruction of it is unethical.

  • A copy of the lost uncut version of Metropolis is rediscovered in a museum in Buenos Aires.