Inventions & Breakthroughs of December 1972
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Video Game Console (Magnavox Odyssey)
2 
C Language
3 
Computed Tomography Commercial Use
4 
Inkjet Printing Concept
5 
Optical Disc Storage Concept
6 
Automotive Airbag Prototype
7 
Email Protocol Standardization
8 
Electric Wheelchair Control System
9 
Digital Signal Processing Theory
10 
Reusable Spacecraft Studies
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON December 7, 1972
Full News Archive
- Headline: Major Mafia Indictments in Brooklyn. Impact: The indictments sent shockwaves through the NYPD, leading to a crackdown on corruption that ironically resulted in a surge of mob-themed movies in Hollywood, forever altering the film industry and our collective understanding of 'family values'.. Fact: It's funny how two detectives got indicted while the rest of us just have to deal with parking tickets. Society really knows how to pick its battles..
- Headline: Education Board Bars Contract For Company Hiring Ex‐Aides. Impact: This decision created a ripple effect of distrust in educational institutions, leading to a decade-long debate about hiring practices that ultimately resulted in a rise in online educational scams. Thanks, Education Board!. Fact: In a shocking twist, the Education Board actually considered hiring a psychic to forecast the future of their contracts. Spoiler alert: it didn't pan out..
- Headline: One Fin on a Wide Blank Sea. Impact: The intrigue of this vague headline inspired a generation of poets and artists to start interpreting marine life, eventually culminating in a bizarre art movement that celebrated fish in ways no one could have anticipated.. Fact: Art critics are still trying to figure out what this piece means. Spoiler: they probably just made it up..
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1972, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1972
$0.61
2025 dataset value
$343,942
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1972, it would be worth $343,942 today (343.9x return)
Rank #2
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1972
$0.54
2025 dataset value
$269,286
Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1972, it would be worth $269,286 today (269.3x return)
Rank #3
CVX
Chevron
Price in 1972
$0.51
2025 dataset value
$292,010
Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1972, it would be worth $292,010 today (292.0x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
The Amazing Spider-Man #121
$1,500
Swamp Thing #1
$200
Marvel Spotlight #5
$42,000
Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1
$300
The Tomb of Dracula #10
$600
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Pong Home Console
$1,500.00
Uno
$700.00
Weebles
$150.00
Shrinky Dinks
$25.00
Lite-Brite
$150.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Pong
$50.00
Magnavox Odyssey (console and multiple games)
$1,500.00
Table Tennis
$1,656.00
Shooting Gallery
$150.00
Football
$288.75
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Roberto Clemente Topps #309
$250,000
Willie Mays Topps #49
$100,000
Nolan Ryan Topps #595
$70.00
Pete Rose Topps #559
$66,000.00
Wilt Chamberlain Topps #1
$37,800