1985
1980s Era
Act I
The World Stage
1985
4.8B
people on Earth when this year began
Today
8.2B
+3.4B more people since
🇺🇸
US President
Ronald Reagan
🇬🇧
UK Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
🇺🇳
UN Secretary-General
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
Defining Moments
Live Aid concert
Gorbachev becomes Soviet leader
Nintendo NES released in US
Titanic wreck discovered
Act II
Culture & Entertainment
#1 Song
Careless Whisper
George Michael
- ♪ Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
- ♪ Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A.
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Oscar Best Picture: Out of Africa
- 🎥 Back to the Future
- 🎥 Rambo
- 🎥 Rocky IV
Top TV Shows
- 📺 The Cosby Show
- 📺 Dynasty
- 📺 Dallas
Notable Books
- 📚 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
Act III
Technology & Science
Nintendo NES launches
Windows 1.0 released
CD-ROM drives
Space
Space Shuttle missions continue
Nobel Peace Prize
International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War
Nobel Physics
Klaus von Klitzing
Act IV
Cost of Living
Gas / Gallon
$1.12
Today: $3.50
Milk / Gallon
$2.26
Today: $4.15
Movie Ticket
$3.55
Today: $11.75
Average Home
$89,000
Today: $420,000
New Car
$9,005
Today: $49,500
Postage Stamp
$0.22
Today: $0.73
Average Salary
$18,500 / year (min wage: $3.35/hr)
Act V
Sports Champions
World Series
Kansas City Royals
NBA Finals
Los Angeles Lakers
Super Bowl
San Francisco 49ers (SB XIX)
Act VI
Our Planet
CO₂ Levels
0
parts per million
Today: 422 ppm
Temperature Anomaly
+0.12°C
vs. pre-industrial average
Today: +1.45°C
Life Expectancy
74.7 years