Inventions & Breakthroughs of October 1978
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Global Positioning System Satellites
2 
Word Processing Software (WordStar)
3 
Digital Telephone Answering Machine
4 
Medical Imaging PACS Concept
5 
Electronic Spreadsheet (VisiCalc)
6 
Computer Animation Software
7 
Automated Warehouse Robotics
8 
Digital Signal Processor Chip
9 
Video Game Console (Atari 2600)
10 
Space Probe Voyager Instruments
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1978, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
WMT
Walmart
Price in 1978
$0.01
2025 dataset value
$7,945,492
Walmart - If you invested $1,000 in 1978, it would be worth $7,945,492 today (7945.5x return)
Rank #2
INTC
Intel
Price in 1978
$0.18
2025 dataset value
$199,890
Intel - If you invested $1,000 in 1978, it would be worth $199,890 today (199.9x return)
Rank #3
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1978
$0.49
2025 dataset value
$423,037
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1978, it would be worth $423,037 today (423.0x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
X-Men #111
$75
Action Comics #484
$15
Daredevil #158
$75
Superman #233
$250
Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #27
$30
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Star Wars Action Figures
$300.00
Simon
$500.00
Lego Space Sets
$350.00
Speak & Spell
$150.00
Hot Wheels
$30.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Space Invaders
$13,800
Adventureland
Unknown
Avalanche
$60.00
Astro Battle
$200.00
Sky Diver
$12.34
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card
$4,000,000
Kenner Star Wars Series 1
$70.00
Topps Baseball 1978 Eddie Murray Rookie Card
$3,000
Futera Muhammad Ali 1978
$1,500
Topps Football 1978 Tony Dorsett Rookie Card
$20,000