Inventions & Breakthroughs of January 2009
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin)
2 
Mobile Voice Assistant
3 
Cloud Database Services
4 
4G LTE Networks
5 
Smartphone Camera Improvements
6 
Online Streaming Subscriptions
7 
Digital Navigation with Real-Time Traffic
8 
Virtual Reality Headset Prototype
9 
Social Media Mobile Apps
10 
Digital Payment Wallet
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON January 20, 2009
Full News Archive
- Headline: Concerns Over Overseas Drug Manufacturing. Impact: As drugs began to be manufactured overseas, the U.S. found itself in a tailspin of paranoia, leading to the rise of backyard chemists. Who knew that a simple supply chain issue could spark an entire generation of amateur pharmacists?. Fact: If only the lawmakers could figure out how to stockpile common sense along with their pharmaceuticals..
- Headline: In Europe, New Efforts to Bolster Lending. Impact: The push for banks to lend more money resulted in a bizarre new industry: the loan sharking of the 21st century, where financial advice comes with a side of intimidation. A real win-win!. Fact: In the world of finance, 'bailout' is just a fancy term for 'let's pretend we didn't see that coming.'.
- Headline: Tribal Rivalries Persist as Iraqis Seek Local Posts. Impact: The jockeying for power in Anbar Province turned into a reality show that no one wanted to watch, with plot twists that were sadly all too real. Who knew local politics could be more dramatic than a soap opera?. Fact: Tribal rivalries have been around longer than most modern nations; clearly, humans have always preferred a good feud to boring diplomacy..
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 2009, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #3
NFLX
Netflix
Price in 2009
$0.43
2025 dataset value
$220,288
Netflix - If you invested $1,000 in 2009, it would be worth $220,288 today (220.3x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Detective Comics #854
$25
Batman and Robin #1
$42,000
Chew #1
$50
Captain America: Reborn #1
$25
The Walking Dead #60
$75
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Bakugan Battle Brawlers
$50.00
Zhu Zhu Pets
$50.00
Lego Games
$300.00
Beyblade: Metal Fusion
$150.00
Mindflex
$75.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
$55.00
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
$50.00
Assassin's Creed II
$40.00
Minecraft
$150.00
Batman: Arkham Asylum
$200.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Mike Trout Autograph
$46,800
2009 Topps UFC Round 1 Brock Lesnar Autograph
$1,200
2009 Panini Crown Royale Tom Brady Autograph
$240,000
2009 Pokémon Platinum Arceus Holo
$1,500
2009 Topps Chrome Stephen Curry Rookie Card
$1,888.00