🧠 Inventions of 1986
Breakthroughs and everyday innovations from the year.
1 
Supercomputer (Cray-2)
2 
Artificial Intelligence Neural Networks Revival
3 
Portable GPS Receiver
4 
CD Burner Prototype
5 
Medical MRI Contrast Agents
6 
Automated Airline Reservation Systems
7 
Digital Telephone Switching Expansion
8 
Personal Laser Printer
9 
Electric Vehicle Research Program
10 
Space Telescope Deployment (Hubble Concept)
The Sounds of
The biggest hits of the year — Top 10 Pop & Country chart toppers
HEADLINES ON December 30, 1986
Full News Archive
- Headline: Marge Schott's Controversial Ban. Impact: When Marge Schott decided who could advertise what, it set off a chain reaction leading to the eventual rise of celebrity endorsements. If only she'd let Tom Browning sell cars, maybe we'd have avoided the influencer apocalypse we're living in today.. Fact: Marge Schott was known for her strong opinions and unfiltered comments—kind of like your uncle at Thanksgiving dinner, but with a baseball team..
- Headline: Airline Deregulation Sparks Industry Shake-Up. Impact: The light-hearted banter about price-fixing among airline presidents spiraled into a world where checking your bank account before booking a flight became a necessary survival skill. Thank you, deregulation!. Fact: Airline deregulation was like opening Pandora's Box, except instead of chaos and monsters, it unleashed hidden fees and turbulence both in the air and your wallet..
- Headline: Transformations in American Big Business. Impact: This era of upheaval in big business paved the way for corporate mergers that would lead to the creation of multi-million dollar companies that make you wonder how they could possibly still exist. Spoiler: they do, and they own everything.. Fact: The term 'big business' could easily refer to both major corporations and my collection of oversized sweaters from the '90s. Both are hard to ignore!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1986, here's what it would be worth in 2025.
Rank #1
MCD
McDonald's
Price in 1986
$2.07
Value in 2025
$154,145
McDonald's - If you invested $1,000 in 1986, it would be worth $154,145 today (154.1x return)
Rank #2
AAPL
Apple
Price in 1986
$0.08
Value in 2025
$3,574,639
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 1986, it would be worth $3,574,639 today (3574.6x return)
Rank #3
MSFT
Microsoft
Price in 1986
$0.06
Value in 2025
$8,149,367
Microsoft - If you invested $1,000 in 1986, it would be worth $8,149,367 today (8149.4x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1
$50
Watchmen #1
$300
Swamp Thing #46
$75
Maus #1
$100
Crisis on Infinite Earths #12
$15
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Laser Tag
$75.00
Teddy Ruxpin
$300.00
Jenga
$300.00
My Little Pony (Generation 1)
$300.00
G.I. Joe (A Real American Hero line)
$1350.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
The Legend of Zelda
$350.00
Metroid
$500.00
Castlevania
$90,000
Dragon Quest
$200.00
Out Run
$200.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Michael Jordan Rookie Card
$250,000
Fleer Michael Jordan Sticker
$16,900
1986-87 Fleer Basketball Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
$6,500
1986 Garbage Pail Kids (3rd Series)
$3,000
Topps 1986 Traded Barry Bonds XRC
$745