🧠 Inventions of 1984
Breakthroughs and everyday innovations from the year.
1 
Graphical User Interface Computer (Macintosh)
2 
Inkjet Printer (Consumer)
3 
Medical DNA Fingerprinting
4 
Compact Laptop Computer
5 
Digital Music Synthesizer
6 
Video Cassette Rental System
7 
Speech-to-Text Software
8 
Advanced Prosthetic Limb Control
9 
Optical Fiber Network Expansion
10 
Personal Desktop Publishing
The Sounds of
The biggest hits of the year — Top 10 Pop & Country chart toppers
HEADLINES ON May 30, 1984
Full News Archive
- Headline: Howard Schnellenberger and USFL Controversy. Impact: After Schnellenberger's passionate plea against autumn play, a secret society of football purists was formed, leading to an underground league dedicated to preserving spring football. This league eventually spiraled into a cult phenomenon, giving rise to a new generation of 'spring football' enthusiasts who refuse to acknowledge the NFL.. Fact: Did you know that if we had listened to Howard Schnellenberger, we might have ended up with winter football? Talk about 'frozen tundra'!.
- Headline: Hastening to Beat the U.S. Open Deadline. Impact: The obsession with deadlines in golf led to an alternate timeline where golfers became the first to use drones to deliver their entries, inadvertently causing a drone racing revolution. Who knew a simple golf tournament could spawn a new era of aerial sports?. Fact: Did you know that some golfers still send their entries via carrier pigeon? It's a classic move—very retro!.
- Headline: PLAYS; NICKLAUS SURVIVES A COSTLY MISTAKE. Impact: Nicklaus' costly mistake reverberated through time, causing a phenomenon known as the 'Nicklaus Effect,' where golfers everywhere started believing that making mistakes is a vital part of the winning strategy. This led to an annual 'Mistake Celebration' in which players purposely flub shots for fun.. Fact: Ironically, Jack Nicklaus' worst shot ended up on the highlight reel—proving once again that failure can indeed lead to fame!.
- Headline: SCOUTING; N.H.L. Show. Impact: The formation of N.H.L. Expo '84 inadvertently led to the rise of hockey-themed cooking shows, as chefs began to incorporate slap shots into their culinary presentations. Who knew hockey could spice up your soufflé?. Fact: Imagine this: if you ever wondered how to make a puck-inspired dessert, just remember that somewhere, someone did try to create hockey pucks out of chocolate—results were... mixed..
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1984, here's what it would be worth in 2025.
Rank #1
WMT
Walmart
Price in 1984
$0.23
Value in 2025
$490,961
Walmart - If you invested $1,000 in 1984, it would be worth $490,961 today (491.0x return)
Rank #2
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1984
$0.94
Value in 2025
$222,603
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1984, it would be worth $222,603 today (222.6x return)
Rank #3
MCD
McDonald's
Price in 1984
$1.18
Value in 2025
$271,190
McDonald's - If you invested $1,000 in 1984, it would be worth $271,190 today (271.2x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1
$100,000
Secret Wars #8
$150
The New Teen Titans #1
$200
Saga of the Swamp Thing #25
$60
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1
$300
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Transformers
$1,200.00
Cabbage Patch Kids
$150.00
Voltron
$200.00
Masters of the Universe: He-Man
$150.00
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
$143.75
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Tetris
$1,000.00
Duck Hunt
$275.00
Marble Madness
$100.00
Boulder Dash
$100.00
Kung-Fu Master
$200.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Don Mattingly Rookie Card #8
$3,000
Dan Marino Rookie Card #123
$30,000
John Elway Rookie Card #63
$15,250
Darryl Strawberry Rookie Card #182
$200
Hulk Hogan Rookie Card #1
$41,000