🧠 Inventions of 1983
Breakthroughs and everyday innovations from the year.
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
HEADLINES ON October 21, 1983
Full News Archive
- Headline: Exploring 'All The Right Moves' in Football. Impact: This film inspired countless young athletes to chase their dreams, some even thinking they could dodge tackles in real life. Spoiler alert: they couldn't.. Fact: The real star of 'All the Right Moves' was the hair gel used to style Tom Cruise's perfectly coiffed hair..
- Headline: Screening of 'Americana' in Kansas. Impact: The carousel built by the Vietnam vet became an unlikely tourist attraction, leading to a surge in town revenue. Who knew spinning in circles could be profitable?. Fact: The carousel was originally going to feature horses, but the vet insisted on adding unicorns—because why not?.
- Headline: GM's X-Car Brake Defect Revealed. Impact: The X-car defect scandal led to stricter regulations on car manufacturing, which in turn resulted in the creation of the modern 'lemon law.' Thanks, GM, for the legislative gift!. Fact: It's said that the actual 'X' in X-body stands for 'eXceedingly bad brakes.'.
- Headline: SCREEN: 'UNDER FIRE'. Impact: The portrayal of Nicaraguan strife in films led to a Hollywood obsession with gritty war dramas, ultimately birthing a generation of actors who think they can save the world with a monologue.. Fact: The film was initially titled 'Under Fire: The Confusion Chronicles,' but they decided to simplify it. Good call!.
- Headline: CLARENDON TELLS COURT OF ASSETS. Impact: Clarendon’s asset revelations prompted a wave of financial sleuthing that somehow made tax evasion a popular pastime. Thanks for the ideas, Clarendon!. Fact: The CFO's name was left out of the report, leading conspiracy theorists to believe he was actually a secret agent..
- Headline: FILM: 'RIGHT STUFF,' ON ASTRONAUTS. Impact: The drama of the 'Right Stuff' inspired a new generation of aspiring astronauts, all of whom ignored the fact that space travel usually involves a lot of waiting and paperwork.. Fact: The film’s tagline was originally 'We put the 'fun' in fundamental space exploration,' but it was scrapped for being too cheesy..
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1983, here's what it would be worth in 2025.
Rank #2
WMT
Walmart
Price in 1983
$0.15
Value in 2025
$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
Value in 2025
$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