Inventions & Breakthroughs of July 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 July 7, 1983
Full News Archive
- Headline: Staircases in Ornate Iron Style. Impact: The introduction of decorative iron staircases led to an unforeseen obsession with home aesthetics, resulting in a world where people spend more time selecting stair railings than actually using the stairs. Eventually, this escalated to the creation of reality TV shows focused solely on staircase design, causing the fabric of society to unravel as people debated the merits of spiral vs. straight designs.. Fact: Did you know that the average person spends 3.5 years of their life on stairs? Now, imagine if those stairs were beautifully ornate! That's a lot of time spent admiring your own taste!.
- Headline: Choosing the Right Polish for Furniture. Impact: The endless debate over furniture polish has led to a secret society of furniture polishers who meet in dimly lit basements, sharing tips on the best products, and plotting to overthrow the government with a wave of shiny surfaces. Who knew that the quest for the perfect shine could lead to such a slippery slope?. Fact: Fun fact: The most popular furniture polish is actually just a mix of oil and 'I have no idea what I'm doing.'.
- Headline: PLAYING HOST TO A BAT UNDER STRESS. Impact: The panic over a bat in the house became the catalyst for a national 'Bat Watch' program, leading to an influx of bat-themed merchandise. Soon, people were dressing their pets in bat costumes, and the phrase 'batty' became a popular descriptor for anyone who dared to actually enjoy a quiet night at home.. Fact: Did you know that bats can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour? So, next time you hear a bat in your attic, just remember: it's your winged pest control expert, not an impending apocalypse!.
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