Y2K

This one is a classic. Amidst months of news reports that the start of the year 2000 would cause disastrous technology complications (and a rumor that a nuclear missile could launch accidentally), there were high levels of fear about the potential fallout from such problems. I have memories of footage that showed families stocking their pantries with months worth of food and bottled water, and filling up their bathtubs with water (in case the bottled water ran out? I'm not sure). There were educated speculations that war would break out between Russia and the U.S. People were nervous, and there was a very tense feeling in the air leading up to New Years.