Inventions & Breakthroughs of December 1980
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Portable Personal Computer
2 
Compact Disc (CD)
3 
Charge-Coupled Device Camera Expansion
4 
Medical MRI Scanner Commercial Use
5 
Digital Signal Processor
6 
Electronic Spreadsheet Software
7 
Home Video Game Console Expansion
8 
Industrial Laser Cutting Systems
9 
Automatic Blood Glucose Meter
10 
Satellite Navigation Expansion
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON December 14, 1980
Full News Archive
- Headline: Comedy Duo in 'Stir Crazy'. Impact: When Pryor and Wilder nailed the 'Stir Crazy' roles, they inadvertently set off a chain reaction that led to the modern buddy cop movie. Who knew that two guys in a prison would inspire countless pairs of law enforcement agents to bicker and bond while chasing down criminals?. Fact: Did you know that this movie was so good-natured that it probably could have made even the most hardened criminal chuckle? Because nothing says 'rehabilitation' like a good laugh in a prison cell!.
- Headline: Altman's Unique Take on Popeye. Impact: Altman's 'Popeye' didn't just flop; it paved the way for the future of comic book adaptations, teaching Hollywood that sometimes, just sometimes, taking creative liberties with beloved characters can lead to disaster. Thanks for the lesson, guys!. Fact: Fun fact: This movie is the reason why spinach sales briefly skyrocketed in the early '80s! Apparently, kids thought if they ate their greens, they could punch out Bluto too. Spoiler alert: It didn't work..
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1980, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
AAPL
Apple
Price in 1980
$0.10
2025 dataset value
$2,766,454
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 1980, it would be worth $2,766,454 today (2766.5x return)
Rank #3
INTC
Intel
Price in 1980
$0.18
2025 dataset value
$199,890
Intel - If you invested $1,000 in 1980, it would be worth $199,890 today (199.9x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
The New Teen Titans #1
$75
The X-Men #137
$400
Savage She-Hulk #1
$276
Dazzler #1
$900
The Untold Legend of the Batman #1
$20,000
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Rubik's Cube
$150.00
Atari 2600
$2,500.00
Star Wars Action Figures
$300.00
The Empire Strikes Back Tauntaun
$150.00
LEGO Space Sets
$400.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Pac-Man
$50.00
Centipede
$95.00
Missile Command
$33,400.00
Zork I: The Great Underground Empire
$212.30
Rogue
$100.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1980 Topps Baseball Rickey Henderson Rookie Card
$138,000
1980 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky Card
$125,000
1980 Topps Larry Bird / Magic Johnson Rookie Card with Julius Erving
$500,000
1980 Panini Soccer Stickers Diego Maradona
$250,000
1980 Donruss Golf Jack Nicklaus Card
$0.00