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 29, 1983
Full News Archive
- Headline: The Comedy of 'National Lampoon's Vacation'. Impact: If Clark Griswold hadn’t taken that fateful trip, countless families might have avoided the chaos of road trips entirely, leading to a timeline where vacation planning involves spreadsheets and therapy sessions were obsolete. Thanks, National Lampoon!. Fact: The original script was so chaotic that it included a scene where the family almost joins a cult. Spoiler: they stay dysfunctional instead!.
- Headline: KRULL: A Magical Adventure Unfolds. Impact: The cardboard fantasy adventure of 'Krull' inspired generations of kids to believe that with enough cardboard, you too could conquer a planet. Little did they know, they’d just be creating elaborate forts instead.. Fact: The ‘beast’ in 'Krull' was actually just a metaphor for the budget constraints of the film. Who knew creativity could be so cost-effective?.
- Headline: Exploring Love in Rohmer's Cinema. Impact: Had 'Pauline at the Beach' not been made, the entire genre of witty romantic comedies set on beaches could have devolved into nothing more than endless sandcastle competitions. Thank you, Erich Rohmer, for saving us from that fate!. Fact: The film was inspired by a real-life beach trip where Rohmer forgot his sunscreen. The characters reflect his eternal struggle between love and sunburn..
- Headline: WOMAN SEEKS A PLACE IN THE DUGOUT. Impact: The quest for a woman’s place in the dugout likely sparked a movement that led to women being allowed in the kitchen... and then in the boardroom. Because why stop at dugouts?. Fact: This headline was actually the precursor to the phrase 'Where my ladies at?'—a cry for equality that has echoed through time!.
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