Inventions & Breakthroughs of April 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 April 15, 1983
Full News Archive
- Headline: Pittsburgh's Dance Evolution Showcase. Impact: The breathtaking footwork in Pittsburgh's dance scene led to a worldwide obsession with dance-offs, culminating in the 'Great Dance Battle of 2042' where the victor was decided by a twerking contest between world leaders.. Fact: Did you know that the original dance style used in Pittsburgh was actually just people trying to avoid stepping on gum? Truly an art form!.
- Headline: The Passion Behind Advertising Enthusiasm. Impact: The overwhelming enthusiasm for TV commercials sparked a chain reaction, eventually resulting in a world where people actually enjoy watching infomercials at 2 AM. Yes, it’s a real thing. Blame the advertising folks.. Fact: Fun fact: The phrase 'I can’t believe it’s not butter' was actually coined by an ad executive who was just really bad at cooking..
- Headline: Spielberg's Duel: Thrilling Road Showdown. Impact: Spielberg's suspenseful 'Duel' created a dangerous precedent for road rage, leading to an entire generation believing that every drive was a high-stakes thriller. Thanks, Spielberg, now we all think we're in a Fast & Furious movie.. Fact: Did you know that this film was the catalyst for the term 'road rage'? Before it, people just called it 'bad driving.'.
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