Inventions & Breakthroughs of August 1991
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Linux Operating System
2 
Web Browser (WorldWideWeb)
3 
Flash Animation Concept
4 
Digital Camera (Consumer)
5 
Wi-Fi Networking Concept
6 
Portable MP3 Player Concept
7 
USB Interface Concept
8 
Medical Robotic Surgery Prototype
9 
Voice Recognition Software
10 
High-Speed Modem (56k)
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON August 17, 1991
Full News Archive
- Headline: Whitewater Thrills in South Bend. Impact: The whitewater kayaking event in South Bend led to an unexpected surge in tourism, resulting in the town being renamed ‘Kayak City’ and eventually becoming a hotspot for extreme sports enthusiasts, who took up kayaking as a means to avoid actual exercise.. Fact: If you think whitewater kayaking is just for fun, remember: it also doubles as an extreme form of therapy for those who can't handle life’s calmer currents..
- Headline: Orion Stock Drops After Bond Deal. Impact: Orion Pictures’ stock drop post-bond deal led to the creation of a new genre of 'D-list' movies that became cult classics, including titles like 'B-movie: The Bankruptcy Chronicles.'. Fact: Orion’s struggles show that sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to realize that making a movie about a dog who saves Christmas is a viable career path..
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1991, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
AAPL
Apple
Price in 1991
$0.31
2025 dataset value
$882,251
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 1991, it would be worth $882,251 today (882.3x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
X-Men #1
$300,000
The Infinity Gauntlet #1
$35
Spawn #1
$60
Sandman #19
$150
Spider-Man #1
$25,000
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Super Soaker 50
$350.00
Pogs
$25.00
Terminator 2 Action Figures
$3000.00
Nerf Bow 'n' Arrow
$150.00
Game Boy (Color Variants)
$250.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Sonic the Hedgehog
$39.50
Street Fighter II
$1,830.00
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
$200.00
Super Mario World
$579.99
Final Fantasy IV
$350.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Michael Jordan Upper Deck #SP1
$710.00
Ken Griffey Jr. Donruss Elite #/10000
$1,675
Brett Hull Upper Deck #AW1 (Award Winner)
$3,000
Chipper Jones Topps #333
$250,000
Magic the Gathering 1991 Alpha Black Lotus
$30,000