Inventions & Breakthroughs of January 1956
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Hard Disk Drive (IBM 305 RAMAC)
2 
Artificial Intelligence Program
3 
Microwave Oven (Home Model)
4 
Digital Clock
5 
Underwater SCUBA Regulator
6 
Automatic Transmission Refinement
7 
Medical Heart-Lung Machine
8 
Weather Satellite Blueprint
9 
Computer Programming Language (FORTRAN)
10 
Electric Can Opener Refinement
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON January 19, 1956
Full News Archive
- Headline: House Approves Major Water Project. Impact: The Fryingpan-Arkansas project was a big splash in water management. Who knew that diverting rivers could lead to a future where we argue over bottled water? Thanks, 1956!. Fact: It's ironic that the project sounds like a refreshing drink but is actually just a bunch of bureaucrats trying to play God with water..
- Headline: Meany Advocates Unity in Cold War Policy. Impact: Meany’s call for unity on foreign policy probably made everyone scratch their heads. Little did they know, it set the stage for political debates that still leave us confused today.. Fact: When Meany asked for unity, he probably meant 'Can we all just agree to disagree more civilly?' Spoiler alert: it didn’t work..
- Headline: Article 3 -- No Title; Company Slates Expenditures of $100,000,000 in 1956. Impact: This $100 million expenditure could have been for world peace or advanced alien technology, but instead, it was just a company expansion. Thanks for keeping our priorities straight, 1956!. Fact: Back in the day, a hundred million dollars was like pocket change to a company. Now, it barely covers a nice lunch for a CEO..
- Headline: 12 POLICEMEN HONORED; Morningside Heights Group Gives Service Certificates. Impact: Honoring policemen for their service is great, but imagine if we honored them with donuts instead of certificates. The world might be a sweeter place.. Fact: Service certificates are like participation trophies for grown-ups. At least they didn’t get a ‘Best Cop’ mug..
- Headline: POUJADE DEFENDS PROTEST TACTICS; French Tax-Resister Denies Anti-Semitism-Charges Middle-Class Inequity Denies Repudiating Taxes Opposes 'Superior' Race. Impact: Poujade’s defense of his protest tactics probably gave rise to future protest movements, leading to a never-ending cycle of societal debates over taxes. Who knew tax resistance could be so trendy?. Fact: Defending against anti-Semitism while also claiming middle-class inequity is like trying to juggle flaming torches—impressive but ultimately dangerous..
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1956, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
PFE
Pfizer
Price in 1956
$0.15
2025 dataset value
$168,691
Pfizer - If you invested $1,000 in 1956, it would be worth $168,691 today (168.7x return)
Rank #2
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1956
$0.06
2025 dataset value
$3,433,939
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1956, it would be worth $3,433,939 today (3433.9x return)
Rank #3
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1956
$0.25
2025 dataset value
$586,657
Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1956, it would be worth $586,657 today (586.7x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Adventures of Jerry Lewis #86
$10.00
Showcase #4
$95,000
Action Comics #220
$10,200
Uncle Scrooge #10
$200
Batman #100
$100
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Mr. Potato Head
$250.00
Play-Doh
$150.00
Hula Hoop
$150.00
Matchbox Cars
$100.00
Pogo Stick
$20.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1956 Topps Mickey Mantle
$120,000
1956 Topps Al Kaline
$350,000
1956 Topps Willie Mays
$250,000
1956 Parkhurst Doug Harvey
$0
1956 Spic and Span Milwaukee Braves Hank Aaron
$2,000