Inventions & Breakthroughs of October 1987
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Digital Camera Sensor Improvements
2 
Portable Cellular Phone
3 
Computer-Aided Surgery Systems
4 
Compact Flash Memory Concept
5 
Desktop Publishing Software (PageMaker)
6 
Medical Ultrasound Doppler Imaging
7 
Network File Sharing Protocols
8 
Automated Warehouse Robotics
9 
Digital Music Compact Disc Production
10 
Space Station Module Concepts
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON October 21, 1987
Full News Archive
- Headline: Revitalize Your Garden This Spring. Impact: As gardeners began dividing their perennials, they inadvertently started a trend that led to the great Plant Swap of 1987, where folks traded plants like Pokémon cards. Little did they know, this would eventually evolve into a global obsession with houseplants—thanks, Instagram!. Fact: Did you know that dividing perennials can lead to more flowers? It's like giving your plants a pep talk, but with shovels!.
- Headline: Reviving Vintage Brass Hardware Elegance. Impact: The polished brass trend sparked a resurgence in DIY home improvement shows, leading to countless weekends wasted on projects that resulted in nothing but sore backs and questionable color choices. Thanks for the memories, HGTV!. Fact: Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, which means your shiny new knobs are basically just fancy metal soup!.
- Headline: Peter Jennings Explores the Constitution. Impact: Peter Jennings’ sincere exploration of the Constitution made viewers suddenly care about the document—resulting in an unprecedented number of people googling 'What is the Constitution?' and leading to a spike in trivia nights across America. Who knew democracy could be so entertaining?. Fact: Did you know that the Constitution was originally written on parchment? So if you think your handwriting is bad, at least it’s not immortalized in history!.
- Headline: What to Look For In Buying a Carpet. Impact: The rise of wall-to-wall carpeting led to a nationwide epidemic of lost socks and awkwardly placed furniture. It isn’t just a design statement; it’s a commitment to hiding stains and pretending you vacuum regularly.. Fact: Fun fact: The average carpet lasts about 5-15 years, depending on how much you love your pet and how often you pretend you don’t notice the stains!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1987, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
AAPL
Apple
Price in 1987
$0.14
2025 dataset value
$1,945,817
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 1987, it would be worth $1,945,817 today (1945.8x return)
Rank #2
MSFT
Microsoft
Price in 1987
$0.10
2025 dataset value
$4,778,667
Microsoft - If you invested $1,000 in 1987, it would be worth $4,778,667 today (4778.7x return)
Rank #3
INTC
Intel
Price in 1987
$0.25
2025 dataset value
$146,978
Intel - If you invested $1,000 in 1987, it would be worth $146,978 today (147.0x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #4
$150
Watchmen #12
$150
Daredevil #227
$500
X-Men #221
$125
Justice League #1
$1,500
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Teddy Ruxpin
$300.00
Koosh Ball
$75.00
Nerf Football
$900.00
Jenga
$300.00
Pound Puppies
$75.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
The Legend of Zelda
$500.00
Final Fantasy
$150.00
Metal Gear
$299.99
Street Fighter
$185.00
Contra
$200.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1987 Fleer Michael Jordan #59
$18,100.00
1987 Topps Barry Bonds #320
$1,200
1987 Donruss Greg Maddux Rated Rookie #36
$300
1987 Topps Tiffany Bo Jackson #170
$170
1987 Panini Soccer Diego Maradona #82
$250,000