2003 General Overview
Sponsored by an international consortium of six nations and considered by some to be the greatest scientific breakthrough in the history of medical science, The Human Genome Project announces the completion of the human genome sequence. What amounts to a map of human DNA is finished more than two years ahead of schedule at a cost of $2.7 billion. Average life expectancy, which is already 77 years in the US, continues to rise. With stem cells, cloning, and human DNA mapping, scientific advancements rapidly outpace the nation’s ability to deal with the ethical issues surrounding death or the delay thereof.
Not to be outdone, NASA scientists claim to have captured the most precise image of the universe, shedding light on its origins, age, and providing further evidence for the long-standing Big Bang and inflation theories. The Hubble telescope detects the oldest known planet, nicknamed Methuselah—apparently formed 12.7 billion years ago. In contrast, all other known planets, including Earth, experience creation about 8 billion years later, roughly 4.5 billion years ago. President Bush launches the first preemptive war in US history, and shortly after taking control of Baghdad, signals the collapse of Saddam Hussein's oppressive regime.
Real Estate Overview
Another big name enters the real estate industry, when influential media mogul Barry Diller purchases LendingTree. In the following years his company, InterActiveCorp (Nasdaq: IACI), also acquires other real estate assets such as RealEstate.com, ServiceMagic, iNest and Domania.
London-based Foxtons buys New Jersey-based Your Homes Direct (YHD) and although the acquisition is relatively small, it is the first UK-based real estate company to officially expand into North America. They now operate 27 branches, saddling the Atlantic with both arms operating under a 2% commission.
