Inventions & Breakthroughs of September 1990
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
World Wide Web Prototype
2 
Digital Cellular GSM Standard
3 
Photoshop Software
4 
Human Genome Project Launch
5 
Digital Audio Compression (MP3)
6 
Satellite Navigation Civil Expansion
7 
Pen-Based Computing Concept
8 
Electronic Whiteboard
9 
Medical Laparoscopic Surgery Tools
10 
Virtual Reality Headset Prototype
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON September 14, 1990
Full News Archive
- Headline: Love and Pain: A Gentry's Story. Impact: This melodrama led to an unexpected surge in sad poetry, causing an entire generation of Irish poets to become overly emotional and possibly allergic to happiness.. Fact: Did you know that 'sad romantic melodrama' is basically the official genre for every Irish family gathering?.
- Headline: Ghostly Stories from the Old West. Impact: This film inspired a new genre of cowboy horror that would eventually lead to the creation of ‘Ghostbusters: Cowboy Edition’—because nothing says 'wild west' like ectoplasmic shootouts.. Fact: Fun fact: ghost stories in the Old West were often just excuses to avoid paying rent..
- Headline: Exploring John Huston's Legacy in Film. Impact: The making of 'The African Queen' inadvertently caused a global appreciation for adventure films, which later led to the rise of reality TV—thank you, John Huston.. Fact: Did you know that John Huston is the original inspiration for the phrase 'just wing it'? He didn't have a script half the time..
- Headline: Review/Film; Mauled, Even Eaten, By Junk. Impact: This bizarre clash between junk dealers and cyborgs sparked a series of sci-fi films where the villains were just misunderstood recycling enthusiasts.. Fact: Fun fact: the term 'junk' was actually coined by cyborgs who couldn’t tell the difference between humans and trash..
- Headline: LAW; Students See Asia As Wave Of Future. Impact: Rawson Hubbell's vision of Asia as the future led to the rise of sushi bars in every corner of America, thus introducing the world to the joys of eating raw fish while pretending to be cultured.. Fact: Did you know that most law students think 'Asia' is just a fancy term for the best takeout?.
- Headline: Review/Film; Bach in Hell's Kitchen, and the Gang's all There. Impact: This suburban condo project sparked a movement where people realized they could live without cars, leading to an eventual rise in hipster bike shops and artisanal lemonade stands.. Fact: Did you know that 'No Car Needed' is just code for 'We don’t want to deal with parking regulations'?.
- Headline: Connecticut Projects; No Car Needed at This Suburban Condo.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1990, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
MSFT
Microsoft
Price in 1990
$0.38
2025 dataset value
$1,285,532
Microsoft - If you invested $1,000 in 1990, it would be worth $1,285,532 today (1285.5x return)
Rank #2
AAPL
Apple
Price in 1990
$0.26
2025 dataset value
$1,043,076
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 1990, it would be worth $1,043,076 today (1043.1x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
New Mutants #98
$300
Spider-Man #1
$10,000
X-Men #266
$150
Harbinger #1
$100
Detective Comics #622
$150
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Action Figures
$150.00
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
$250.00
Polly Pocket
$150.00
Pound Puppies
$75.00
Micro Machines
$300.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Super Mario World
$579.99
Final Fantasy III (Final Fantasy VI in Japan)
$200.00
Mega Man 3
$200.00
The Secret of Monkey Island
$300.00
Dr. Mario
$254.95
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1990 Topps Frank Thomas No Name on Front
$250,000
1990 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. #156
$25,000
1990 Fleer Jose Uribe #74
$50
1990 Leaf Frank Thomas #300
$8,000
1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier Jaromir Jagr #50
$1,200