Did you know? Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, the creator of the World Wide Web, could have profited from his billion-dollar invention but chose to make it a public resource for everyone.

In the late 1980s, while working at European Organization for Nuclear Research, Tim saw that scientists needed a faster way to share data globally. He invented HTML, HTTP, and URLs—three technologies that became the foundation of the modern internet.

However, Tim didn’t patent his creations. Economists believe he may have missed out on a fortune by not doing so. With global internet industries earning trillions annually, he could have earned billions in patent fees. Why? Because his goal wasn’t just to make money—it was to shape a future that would benefit everyone.

Next time you browse the web, remember: Tim’s decision to make his invention free didn’t just change the internet—it changed the world.