Big Data has changed our approach to computer science—as if overnight it turned the way we sort out and learn from vast, twisted datasets on its head. This paper meanders over the impact of Big Data, outlining its fundamental concepts, technological underpinnings, and applications in everything from academic research to industrial activity. After sorting through almost 1900 research articles, we found trends in where most work is coming from, which publishing techniques seem to be most common, and what repeating themes are currently in focus. We also closely examine the road’s potholes—that is, problems with maintaining data privacy, managing expansion without a hitch, and fighting data quality inconsistencies. And most of the time we conjecture about what the future holds, considering how newly developed technologies as edge analytics, quantum computing, and distributed learning systems might direct Big Data research. This essay ends with weaving together today’s clear impact of Big Data and indications on its ability to turn conventional computing on its side over the coming decade.