The first widely adopted graphical web browser was NCSA Mosaic, launched in 1993. It introduced a user-friendly interface that combined text and images, making the web more accessible to non-technical users. Mosaic's impact on the internet was profound, paving the way for subsequent browsers like Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer. Its development played a crucial role in popularizing the World Wide Web and contributing to the growth of the internet as a mass communication and information platform.