Inventions & Breakthroughs of December 1949
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Commercial Transistor Production
2 
Jet Commercial Airliner
3 
Hydrogen Bomb Design
4 
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Theory
5 
Modern Credit Card Concept
6 
Anti-Lock Braking System Prototype
7 
Artificial Intelligence Theory
8 
Polyester Fabric
9 
Portable Television
10 
High-Speed Photocopier
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON December 21, 1949
Full News Archive
- Headline: HOSPITALS URGED TO ENLARGE STAFFS; Number of Physicians Lacking Connections Is Deplored by Coordinating Group 8,600 MORE BEDS NEEDED Shortage Most Acute in Queens -- Improvements Sought in Ambulance Service. Impact: The urgent plea for hospitals to enlarge staffs inadvertently triggered a nationwide shortage of coffee for doctors, leading to the rise of espresso bars in waiting rooms.. Fact: 8,600 more beds needed? That's just the number of beds I need for my Netflix binges!.
- Headline: Cancer Society Appoints National Publicity Chief. Impact: C.R. Read's appointment as National Publicity Chief for the Cancer Society laid the groundwork for the modern-day marketing craze that would eventually lead to the invention of pink everything for breast cancer awareness.. Fact: Nothing says 'I care' like a pink ribbon on a product you didn’t even know was related to cancer!.
- Headline: BRITAIN'S OIL CURB DUE TO HIT E. C. A.; Congress' Reaction Foreseen to Restricted Dollar Deals -- Officials Study Details. Impact: Britain's oil curb led to a wave of lobbying that transformed the energy sector into a high-stakes game of Monopoly, where everyone is just trying to avoid landing on 'Taxation' and get that 'Get Out of Jail Free' card.. Fact: The E.C.A. was just a fancy way of saying, 'Please, please give us money!'.
- Headline: Minister Named to Head School for Young Women. Impact: Drew Sem's presidency of the school for young women inspired a whole generation to pursue leadership roles, ultimately resulting in the rise of women in power... and all the ensuing debates about whether they should wear heels.. Fact: Imagine being the 'Minister of Young Women’s Schools'—what a title! It’s like a job description from a 1950s sitcom!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1949, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1949
$0.06
2025 dataset value
$3,433,939
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1949, it would be worth $3,433,939 today (3433.9x return)
Rank #2
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1949
$0.25
2025 dataset value
$586,657
Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1949, it would be worth $586,657 today (586.7x return)
Rank #3
KMB
Kimberly-Clark
Price in 1949
$0.69
2025 dataset value
$147,887
Kimberly-Clark - If you invested $1,000 in 1949, it would be worth $147,887 today (147.9x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Vault of Horror #12
$1,500
All-Negro Comics #1
$85
Adventure Comics #252
$1,500
Captain America Comics #71
$1,200
Joe Palooka Comics #55
$150
🧸 Top 5 Toys
LEGO Bricks
$300.00
Silly Putty
$75.00
The Buzzy Bee
$150.00
Candy Land
$50.00
Clip-Clop the Harness Horse
$150.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson
$250,000
1949 Leaf Satchel Paige
$228,000
1949 Bowman Stan Musial
$30,000
1949 Bowman Duke Snider
$30,000
1949 Leaf Babe Ruth
$89,175