🧠 Inventions of 1997
Breakthroughs and everyday innovations from the year.
1 
Wi-Fi Commercialization
2 
DVD Player (Consumer)
3 
Streaming Video Platform
4 
Search Engine (Google Prototype)
5 
Digital Voice Assistant Concept
6 
MP3 Portable Player (Rio)
7 
Smart Card Payment Systems
8 
Medical Imaging 3D Reconstruction
9 
Computer-Aided Animation Software
10 
Online Travel Booking
The Sounds of
The biggest hits of the year — Top 10 Pop & Country chart toppers
HEADLINES ON December 8, 1997
Full News Archive
- Headline: Radio's Renegade: Stephen Dunifer's Revolution. Impact: Stephen Dunifer's quest for airwave freedom sparked the underground radio movement, leading to a future where everyone with a smartphone thinks they can be the next Howard Stern. Thanks, technology!. Fact: Did you know that many 'low-power' stations now broadcast from the comfort of their living rooms? Welcome to the age of 'I have a mic and a Wi-Fi connection, so I'm basically a DJ.'.
- Headline: Defense (Yes, Defense) Rallies Round Kanell, and the Giants Roll. Impact: The Giants' victory rallied fans like never before, setting a precedent for sports fandom that would lead to the creation of armchair quarterbacks everywhere. Thanks for the inspiration, Kanell!. Fact: Did you know that 'defense wins championships' is just a fancy way of saying 'the offense is taking a coffee break'?.
- Headline: Self-regulation in cyberspace: the Web site for Beanie Babies undergoes several changes.. Impact: The changes to the Beanie Babies website led to a greater awareness of online privacy, ultimately resulting in parents being more paranoid about their kids' internet habits. Thanks for the anxiety, Ty Inc!. Fact: Did you know that Beanie Babies were once more valuable than gold? Now they're just a nostalgic trip down memory lane—like your old Tamagotchi..
- Headline: A Happily Baffled Director Lets His Cast Find Its Own Way. Impact: James L. Brooks letting his cast find their way foreshadowed the rise of improv in Hollywood, leading to a future where actors just wing it and call it art. Who needs scripts anyway?. Fact: Did you know that improvisation is just a fancy way of saying 'we forgot to write a script'?.
- Headline: This Week. Impact: Sondheim's play preview and the tribute to Diana set a cultural tone that led to a future of theatrical tributes and remakes that nobody asked for. Thanks for the nostalgia, London!. Fact: Did you know that every time someone mentions 'theater', an actor somewhere is rolling their eyes? Welcome to the world of dramatic flair!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1997, here's what it would be worth in 2025.
Rank #2
AAPL
Apple
Price in 1997
$0.16
Value in 2025
$1,728,706
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 1997, it would be worth $1,728,706 today (1728.7x return)
Rank #3
AMZN
Amazon
Price in 1997
$0.10
Value in 2025
$2,315,839
Amazon - If you invested $1,000 in 1997, it would be worth $2,315,839 today (2315.8x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
New Mutants #98
$300
The Darkness #1
$50
Planetary #1
$500
JLA #1
$1,500
Preacher Special: The Story Of You-Know-Who
$75
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Tamagotchi
$250.00
Beanie Babies
$20.00
Star Wars Power of the Force Figures
$25.00
Bop It
$150.00
Giga Pet
$75.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Final Fantasy Vii
$200.00
Goldeneye 007
$250.00
Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
$4,050.20
Star Fox 64
$100.00
Grand Theft Auto
$108.23
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1997 Michael Jordan Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems (Red)
$915,000
1997 Duncan Taylor Dark-Side-Of-The-Force (Darth Vader Hologram)
$250
1997 Pokémon Japanese Charizard Holo No Rarity Symbol
$325,000
1997 Pinnacle Totally Certified Platinum Blue Ken Griffey Jr.
$3,550
1997 Magic: The Gathering Gaia'S Cradle
$849.00