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 18, 1980
Full News Archive
- Headline: Inside Moves: A Story of Resilience. Impact: This film's exploration of suicide and resilience led to a wave of indie films tackling heavy subjects. Little did they know, this would eventually lead to a global trend of 'sad but inspiring' movies, which would be the birthplace of countless therapy sessions and overpriced avocado toast.. Fact: John Savage was once a serious contender for the title of 'Most Likely to Make You Cry in a Movie,' right up until the competition got serious with that one scene in 'The Notebook.'.
- Headline: The Birth of Sound in Cinema. Impact: This movie's 'rock-bottom' theme inspired future generations to redefine success. Turns out, hitting rock bottom is the new way to get a bestseller or a TED Talk, proving that misery really does love company... and a good marketing strategy.. Fact: 'The Jazz Singer' is often credited as the film that saved Hollywood. Who knew that a movie with no jazz would lead to all those 'jazzercise' classes decades later?.
- Headline: The Formula for Synthetic Oil Unveiled. Impact: The drama of synthetic oil sparked a love affair with chemical engineering that ultimately led to the rise of modern-day conspiracy theories about Big Oil, proving once again that if you can’t trust a film, you definitely can’t trust a corporation.. Fact: Fun fact: synthetic oil is not a magical potion, despite what some car enthusiasts may tell you during their mid-life crises..
- Headline: 'THE KILLING KIND' AND 'A DEGREE OF MURDER'. Impact: The accidental death trope in film helped to normalize the idea that love can be fatal. This established a cultural precedent that led to future generations believing that love triangles are best resolved with a little drama and a lot of bloodshed.. Fact: The phrase 'it's not you, it's me' has never been more literal than in the context of an accidental lover's demise..
- Headline: A SIMON COMEDY, 'SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES'. Impact: The premise of hiding out at an ex's house popularized the idea of revisiting past relationships, leading to a boom in awkward reunions and the rise of those delightful 'What was I thinking?' Facebook memories.. Fact: Hiding out at an ex's place is basically the adult version of playing hide-and-seek, but with more emotional baggage and less fun..
- Headline: 'NINE TO FIVE,' OFFICE COMEDY. Impact: The portrayal of women rising against a thoughtless boss inspired a movement of office workers everywhere to start their own 'revolutionary' book clubs, which mostly discuss how to get through Monday without crying.. Fact: 'Nine to Five' was so influential that it inspired countless memes, but sadly, none of them managed to actually change office culture—just the wallpaper in break rooms..
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