Inventions & Breakthroughs of March 1981
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Personal Computer (IBM PC)
2 
Graphical User Interface Concept
3 
Word Processing Software (Microsoft Word)
4 
Digital Camera Prototype Commercialization
5 
Medical Infusion Pump
6 
Local Area Network Expansion
7 
Portable Video Game Console
8 
Computer-Aided Manufacturing Software
9 
Speech Recognition System Improvement
10 
Reusable Space Shuttle Program
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON March 18, 1981
Full News Archive
- Headline: Jim Frey and His Young Royals. Impact: If Jim Frey hadn't managed that Bluefield team, perhaps the world would never have witnessed the rise of mediocre sports memoirs. Imagine a reality where inspirational quotes from athletes were replaced by existential musings from accountants! What a bore!. Fact: Fun fact: Jim Frey once thought a 'home run' was just a term for a successful family gathering. Spoiler alert: it’s not..
- Headline: Cable Franchise Hearings End Without Decision. Impact: The prolonged negotiations over TV cable franchises in NYC led to a generation of residents mastering the art of patience—so much so that they began meditating on the meaning of life while waiting for basic cable installation. Who knew cable could spark a spiritual awakening?. Fact: Did you know that the only thing slower than the resolution of city cable franchises is the growth rate of a tortoise? And yes, I’m including the ones in a race!.
- Headline: Binghamton Fire Sparks PCB Contamination Concern. Impact: The Binghamton fire and its PCB leakage sparked an entire movement of environmental awareness, leading to the rise of eco-activists who now believe that even your toaster could be plotting against you. Thanks, transformers!. Fact: Did you know 'PCBs' stands for 'Please, Contain the Badness'? Just kidding, it actually stands for polychlorinated biphenyls, but the first one sounds more hopeful, doesn't it?.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1981, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #2
INTC
Intel
Price in 1981
$0.23
2025 dataset value
$155,194
Intel - If you invested $1,000 in 1981, it would be worth $155,194 today (155.2x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Daredevil #181
$2,600
Uncanny X-Men #141
$1,000
Marvel Graphic Novel #1
$42,000
Moon Knight #1
$250
Saga of the Swamp Thing #1
$300
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Rubik's Cube
$150.00
LEGO Space Sets
$400.00
My Little Pony
$150.00
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
$150.00
Smurfs Figurines
$150.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Donkey Kong
$300.00
Pac-Man
$1,500.00
Frogger
$50.00
Galaga
$262.70
Ms. Pac-Man
$33,400.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1981 Topps Joe Montana Rookie Card
$76,250
1981 Fleer Fernando Valenzuela Rookie Card
$400
1981 Donruss Tim Raines Rookie Card
$1,200.00
1981 Topps Magic Johnson and Larry Bird Card
$427,000
1981 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky
$2,000