As of June 15, 2017, the GIF is 30 years old.
On that same date in 1987, the most often-used image file extension was created by a team of CompuServe developers looking for a way to compress photos with minimal data loss.
Three decades later, the resulting flexible file format for lower-resolution pictures has given us babies that dance… reality stars that cry… and pretty much everything in between.
In honor of this anniversary, we present below the most memorable GIFs in World Wide Web history. Click around and enjoy!
1. Dancing Baby
The dancing baby GIF may have been the first GIF to truly go viral. We have Ally McBeal to thank for that.
2. Dawson Cryig
Dawson’s Creek will remain a beloved drama throughout eternity. Largely because of this memorable GIF.
3. Aerobic Hunks
This was a very early, very popular GIF. You can understand why, right?
4. Shaq/Hillary Shimmy
This is the one thing Hillary Clinton and Shaquille O’Neal have in common.
5. Cheers to Leo
The Great Gatsby wasn’t a great movie. But this is an iconic GIF.
6. Haters. They’re Gonna Hate
Before Taylor Swift passing along this same message, there… THIS GUY!