Inventions & Breakthroughs of January 1983
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Cellular Telephone Commercial Launch
2 
Domain Name System (DNS)
3 
Personal Computer Mouse
4 
Compact Disc-ROM
5 
Artificial Intelligence Expert Systems
6 
Global Positioning System Deployment
7 
Portable CD Player (Discman)
8 
Medical Laser Eye Surgery
9 
Computer-Aided Drug Design
10 
Electronic Trading Systems
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON January 13, 1983
Full News Archive
- Headline: Exploring Architectural Ornamentation Sources. Impact: The proliferation of architectural ornamentation sources led to a bizarre future where every home became a museum of questionable taste. This eventually sparked a reality show where people compete to see who can make the most gaudy home improvements, thus creating a new genre of cringe TV.. Fact: Did you know that some people still believe that adding a flamingo lawn ornament is a form of high art? Clearly, the future is bright... and pink..
- Headline: Divorce Fees Expected to Rise Exponentially. Impact: As divorce fees soared, the unintended consequence was a booming market for DIY divorce kits, leading to an explosion of 'breakup parties' where people celebrate their freedom with cake and confetti. This, of course, made divorce more popular than wedding receptions.. Fact: In a shocking twist, couples have started to call off weddings just to throw divorce parties instead. Who knew breaking up could be so festive?.
- Headline: HELPFUL HARDWARE; VINTAGE LIGHT BULBS FOR A PERIOD LOOK. Impact: The demand for vintage light bulbs inadvertently triggered a retro renaissance, causing hipsters to start hoarding them as if they were rare gems. This led to a black market for 'authentic' light bulbs, sparking lightbulb heists across the nation.. Fact: Ironically, the vintage light bulb craze got so out of hand that some people started using LED lights with vintage stickers just to fit in. Who says authenticity is dead?.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1983, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #2
WMT
Walmart
Price in 1983
$0.15
2025 dataset value
$784,047
Walmart - If you invested $1,000 in 1983, it would be worth $784,047 today (784.0x return)
Rank #3
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1983
$1.11
2025 dataset value
$188,194
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1983, it would be worth $188,194 today (188.2x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
The New Teen Titans #1
$150
Saga of the Swamp Thing #20
$50
Detective Comics #526
$15
Thor #337
$50
Miracleman #2
$1,500
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Cabbage Patch Kids
$150.00
My Little Pony
$150.00
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
$150.00
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
$175.00
Star Wars Return of the Jedi Action Figures
$150.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Mario Bros.
$600.00
Dragon'S Lair
$200.00
M.U.L.E.
$182.44
Lode Runner
$115.00
Tapper
$150.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1983 Topps Baseball Tony Gwynn Rookie Card
$2,500
1983 Topps Baseball Ryne Sandberg Rookie Card
$1,560.00
1983 Topps Baseball Wade Boggs Rookie Card
$1,500
1983 O-Pee-Chee Wrestling Hulk Hogan Card
$1,000
1983 Donruss Baseball Three’s Company - Ripken, Hrabosky, And Fingers (Card #654)
Unknown