150 Fun Facts About The 80s

What year did MTV first go on the air?

MTV launched at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981, as a 24-hour cable channel devoted to music videos, with its first VJs including Martha Quinn and Mark Goodman.

Which Michael Jackson album became the best-selling album of all time?

Thriller, released in 1982, has sold an estimated 70 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling album of all time.

What was the first music video played on MTV?

The Buggles' 'Video Killed the Radio Star' was the very first music video aired on MTV when the channel launched on August 1, 1981.

In 'Back to the Future,' what speed must the DeLorean reach to travel through time?

The DeLorean time machine needed to reach 88 miles per hour to activate the flux capacitor and travel through time.

Who directed the 1982 film 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'?

Steven Spielberg directed E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which became the highest-grossing film of the 1980s upon its release.

Which actor starred as the Ghostbusters' Peter Venkman?

Bill Murray played Dr. Peter Venkman, the wisecracking leader of the Ghostbusters team in the 1984 film.

What portable music device did Sony introduce in 1979 that defined 80s culture?

The Sony Walkman, introduced in 1979, became a cultural icon of the 1980s, revolutionizing how people listened to music on the go.

What year did the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) launch in North America?

The NES launched in North America in October 1985, helping to revive the video game industry after the crash of 1983.

Before entering politics, the president who served for most of the 1980s twice led which organisation?

Ronald Reagan led the Screen Actors Guild twice: elected in a March 1947 special election after Robert Montgomery resigned, he served until 1952, then returned as president in 1959-60.

In what year did the Berlin Wall fall?

The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, marking the symbolic end of the Cold War and leading to German reunification in 1990.

Which pop star was known as the 'Material Girl'?

Madonna earned the nickname 'Material Girl' from her 1984 hit single of the same name, and it became synonymous with her persona throughout the decade.

What was the name of the 1986 nuclear disaster in the Soviet Union?

The Chernobyl disaster occurred on April 26, 1986, in the Ukrainian SSR. It remains the worst nuclear power plant accident in history.

'Don't Stop Believin'' was an 80s hit for which band?

Journey released it in 1981; it became one of the defining rock anthems of the 1980s.

What Apple product was famously introduced with a '1984' Super Bowl commercial?

The original Macintosh was introduced on January 24, 1984, with a Ridley Scott-directed Super Bowl commercial referencing George Orwell's novel.

Which TV show featured the Huxtable family?

The Cosby Show (1984-1992) followed the Huxtable family and was the #1 rated show in America for five consecutive seasons.

What was the name of the Space Shuttle that tragically exploded in January 1986?

The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members including teacher Christa McAuliffe.

Which 1984 Prince album, also the soundtrack to his film of the same name, included 'When Doves Cry' and 'Let's Go Crazy'?

Purple Rain spent 24 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200, doing double duty as film and soundtrack.

Which 80s toy craze had children 'adopt' dolls that came with birth certificates?

Xavier Roberts borrowed the round faces and adoption gimmick from Kentucky folk artist Martha Nelson Thomas's 'Little People' dolls, then made his own version a nationwide craze.

Which movie featured the quote 'I'll be back'?

Schwarzenegger says 'I'll be back' at the police station in The Terminator (1984); he had asked to say 'I will be back' instead, and the AFI later ranked the line the 37th-greatest movie quote.

Unsold cartridges of Atari's notorious 1982 E.T. game were buried in a landfill in which US state?

Atari trucked the cartridges to a landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico, in September 1983; the game had been built in about five weeks, and a 2014 excavation confirmed the long-rumoured burial.

Which 1985 charity single featured dozens of artists singing 'We Are the World'?

'We Are the World' was recorded in January 1985 by USA for Africa, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones; it raised more than $60 million for African famine relief.

Which 80s hairstyle trend relied on teasing and copious hairspray for maximum volume?

Big hair was a defining fashion trend of the 1980s, with both men and women teasing and spraying their hair to achieve maximum volume.

Which 1984 Eddie Murphy film briefly overtook Ghostbusters as the highest-grossing comedy ever?

Beverly Hills Cop, released in December 1984, passed Ghostbusters at the North American box office in early 1985; an August 1985 Ghostbusters re-release then edged the ghost-catchers back ahead domestically.

Which encouraging shout from Jane Fonda's workout videos became a common 80s saying?

'Feel the burn!' was Jane Fonda's signature exhortation in her Workout tapes, which sold some 17 million copies from 1982; she had hesitated at first because she knew nobody who owned a VCR.

Which iconic 80s movie featured a group of kids searching for pirate treasure?

The Goonies (1985), directed by Richard Donner and produced by Steven Spielberg, followed a group of kids on an adventure to find One-Eyed Willy's pirate treasure.

Which agreement signed on January 19, 1981, resolved the Iran hostage crisis?

The Algiers Accords, mediated by Algeria, were signed on January 19, 1981; the 52 hostages were released the next day, minutes after Ronald Reagan's inauguration, ending 444 days in captivity.

Which band released the hit 'Sweet Child O' Mine' in 1987?

Guns N' Roses released 'Sweet Child O' Mine' on their debut album Appetite for Destruction (1987). It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In Spielberg's 1982 alien blockbuster, Elliott lures the visitor with a trail of which candy?

Elliott's trail of Reese's Pieces was a Hershey tie-in; E.T. went on to pass Star Wars as the highest-grossing film ever, a record it held until Jurassic Park in 1993.

Which 1980s TV show featured a talking car named KITT?

Knight Rider (1982-1986) starred David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, who fought crime with the help of KITT, an advanced artificially intelligent car.

Before Ideal Toy renamed it after its Hungarian inventor in 1980, the Rubik's Cube was sold under what name?

Magic Cube was the name in Hungary; Ideal wanted a distinctive, trademarkable name, which put Rubik himself in the spotlight. The first branded batch left Hungary in May 1980.

Jane Fonda's exercise books and videos pushed which ballet-studio garment into 80s mainstream fashion?

Fonda had simply worn them for years in ballet class and was surprised to find her name attached to the trend.

Who won Super Bowl XX in January 1986 with a dominant defensive performance?

The Chicago Bears won Super Bowl XX, defeating the New England Patriots 46-10. Their 1985 season is considered one of the greatest in NFL history.

What 1983 movie featured Matthew Broderick as a teen hacker who nearly starts World War III?

WarGames (1983) starred Matthew Broderick as a young hacker who accidentally accesses a military supercomputer and nearly triggers a nuclear war.

Which cola's 1985 reformulation was reversed after 79 days of public backlash?

Coca-Cola reformulated its flagship drink as 'New Coke' in April 1985. The backlash was so intense that the original formula returned as 'Coca-Cola Classic' just 79 days later.

Which British band released 'Every Breath You Take' in 1983?

The Police released 'Every Breath You Take' in 1983. Written by Sting, it spent eight weeks at #1 and won two Grammy Awards.

Which city hosted the 1984 Summer Olympics, boycotted by the Soviet Union and 13 allies in retaliation for the 1980 Moscow boycott?

Los Angeles, which also hosted in 1932, saw the Soviet bloc stay home in answer to the US-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games.

Which John Hughes film featured the 'Brat Pack' spending a Saturday in detention?

The Breakfast Club (1985) brought together five high school archetypes in Saturday detention. It became the defining teen film of the 1980s.

What was the name of the Live Aid concert venue in London?

Live Aid was held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia on July 13, 1985, raising money for Ethiopian famine relief.

Which video game character, introduced in 1981, was originally called 'Jumpman'?

Mario was originally called 'Jumpman' when he first appeared in the arcade game Donkey Kong (1981). Nintendo later renamed him Mario.

In which 1983 film does Jennifer Beals's Pittsburgh welder dream of becoming a ballerina?

Flashdance (1983) turned Beals's off-the-shoulder sweatshirt into a fad; her climactic audition was performed by doubles, including the breakdancer Crazy Legs, and 'Flashdance... What a Feeling' won the Best Original Song Oscar.

Which TV show set in a Boston bar premiered in 1982 and ran for 11 seasons?

Cheers (1982-1993) was set in a Boston bar 'where everybody knows your name.' It won 28 Emmy Awards and spawned the spin-off Frasier.

What 1980s pandemic was first identified by the CDC in 1981?

HIV/AIDS: on June 5, 1981 the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report described Pneumocystis pneumonia in five previously healthy young men in Los Angeles, the first official report of what was named AIDS in 1982.

Which 80s sitcom featured an alien named Gordon Shumway living with a suburban family?

ALF (1986-1990) featured a furry alien named ALF (Alien Life Form), whose real name was Gordon Shumway, living with the Tanner family after crash-landing on Earth.

Which Federal Reserve chairman's high interest rates broke US inflation in the early 1980s?

Paul Volcker, Fed chairman from 1979 to 1987, let the federal funds rate climb past 19 percent in 1981; annual inflation fell from 13.5 percent in 1980 to about 3 percent by 1983.

Which athlete set a 100m world record at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, only to be stripped of gold for doping?

Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson won the Seoul 100m in 9.79 seconds, lowering his own world record, but his urine sample contained the anabolic steroid stanozolol and he was disqualified three days after the race.

What 1980 film starring Robert De Niro told the story of boxer Jake LaMotta?

Raging Bull (1980), directed by Martin Scorsese, starred Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta. De Niro won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the role.

Which 1984 Hasbro toy line pitted the Autobots against the Decepticons?

Transformers, launched by Hasbro in 1984, featured robots that transformed into vehicles, animals, and devices. The franchise became a cultural phenomenon.

Which 1989 comedy, starring John Travolta and Kirstie Alley, has Bruce Willis as the voice of baby Mikey?

Look Who's Talking grossed over $297 million worldwide, and Willis returned for Look Who's Talking Too in 1990.

Which future Rockets legend did Houston take first overall in the 1984 NBA Draft, two picks before Michael Jordan went to Chicago?

Hakeem Olajuwon, then spelled Akeem, became the cornerstone of the most successful period in Rockets history; Jordan went third to the Bulls.

What 1988 animated film was a groundbreaking mix of live-action and animation set in 1940s Hollywood?

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), directed by Robert Zemeckis, put cartoon toons beside Bob Hoskins in 1947 Hollywood; it won three Academy Awards plus a Special Achievement award for Richard Williams's animation direction.

Which 1987 film introduced Gordon Gekko and the line 'Greed is good'?

Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, won Michael Douglas the Best Actor Oscar as Gordon Gekko, whose 'Greed, for lack of a better word, is good' speech defined the decade's excess.

Which 1983 TV film about nuclear war drew roughly 100 million US viewers?

The Day After aired on ABC on November 20, 1983, to an estimated 100 million viewers; Ronald Reagan wrote in his diary that it left him 'greatly depressed'.

Who played the young Republican Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties?

Michael J. Fox played Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties (1982-89), winning three consecutive Emmys for the role while also shooting Back to the Future at night in 1985.

Which arcade video game, released in 1980 by Namco, features a yellow character eating dots in a maze?

Pac-Man became one of the most iconic arcade games ever made, generating over $2.5 billion in quarters by the 1990s and spawning a massive merchandise empire.

The 1980 'Who Shot J.R.?' cliffhanger came from which primetime soap about a Texas oil family?

Dallas's 'Who Done It' episode, aired November 21, 1980, revealed Kristin Shepard as J.R.'s shooter to an estimated 83 million American viewers, a record for a series episode at the time.

Which 1981 arcade game had players guide a frog across traffic and a river?

Frogger, released by Konami in 1981 and distributed in North America by Sega/Gremlin, sent a frog across a highway and a log-filled river; it became one of the year's top-earning arcade games.

Which U.S. president survived an assassination attempt in March 1981, just 69 days into his first term?

Ronald Reagan was shot by John Hinckley Jr. on March 30, 1981. Reagan famously quipped to surgeons, 'I hope you're all Republicans.'

Which 1986 Oliver Stone Vietnam film won the Academy Award for Best Picture?

Platoon (1986), drawn from Oliver Stone's own infantry service in Vietnam, won four Oscars at the March 1987 ceremony, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Which 1983 film had Tom Cruise sliding across the floor to 'Old Time Rock and Roll'?

Risky Business (1983) made Tom Cruise a star; his sock-footed dance to Bob Seger's 'Old Time Rock and Roll' became one of the decade's most-parodied scenes.

What did Madonna wear to perform 'Like a Virgin' at the first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984?

A wedding dress with a bustier and her 'Boy Toy' belt; she rolled around the stage revealing lace stockings and a garter.

Which British Prime Minister served throughout most of the 1980s?

Margaret Thatcher led from 1979 to 1990, the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century; her 'Iron Lady' nickname came from a 1976 Soviet Army newspaper headline, 'Iron Lady Raises Fears'.

Which 1987 Fox sitcom introduced shoe salesman Al Bundy and his family?

Married... with Children premiered on April 5, 1987 as one of the new Fox network's first primetime shows, with Ed O'Neill as shoe salesman Al Bundy; it ran for 11 seasons.

Which talking teddy bear, driven by a cassette in its back, topped 1985 toy sales?

Teddy Ruxpin, released by Worlds of Wonder in 1985, moved its eyes and mouth in sync with a cassette tape in its back and was the best-selling toy of 1985 and 1986.

Which Boston Celtics forward won three straight NBA MVP awards from 1984 to 1986?

Larry Bird won consecutive NBA MVP awards in 1984, 1985 and 1986, joining Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to win three in a row, and led Boston to titles in 1984 and 1986.

Which tailoring feature, revived from 1940s suits, defined 1980s power dressing?

Shoulder pads, first made for American football by a Princeton player in 1877, were revived by designers in the late 1970s and grew ever more exaggerated through the 1980s, from Dynasty to Wall Street suits.

Which 1986 Tom Cruise film featured fighter pilots at the United States Navy's elite training school?

Top Gun (1986) was inspired by Ehud Yonay's 1983 California magazine article 'Top Guns' about pilots at Naval Air Station Miramar; the Navy set up recruiting booths in some cinemas.

Which TV show featured undercover detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs?

Miami Vice ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989 with Don Johnson as Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Tubbs; executive producer Michael Mann banned earth tones from the pastel-soaked production.

Which 1984 Bruce Springsteen album sent seven singles into the Billboard top 10?

Born in the U.S.A. (1984) produced seven top-10 singles, from 'Dancing in the Dark' to 'My Hometown', and became Springsteen's best-selling album, spending seven weeks at #1.

Which company's 1981 Personal Computer made 'PC' a household term?

The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150) launched in August 1981 at $1,565 with Microsoft's PC-DOS; clones built on its open architecture made 'PC' the generic name for the category.

Which 1987 Rob Reiner film gave us 'As you wish' and Inigo Montoya?

The Princess Bride (1987), directed by Rob Reiner from William Goldman's novel, features Mandy Patinkin's Inigo Montoya and Cary Elwes's Westley, whose 'As you wish' means 'I love you'.

Whose single-season NHL scoring mark did Wayne Gretzky shatter in 1981-82 on the way to 92 goals?

Phil Esposito's 76 goals (1970-71) stood until Gretzky scored 92 in 1981-82, needing 369 shots to Esposito's 550; Gretzky also finished with 212 points, the NHL's first 200-point season.

Which 1986 Bon Jovi #1 tells of the working-class couple Tommy and Gina?

Livin' on a Prayer, from Slippery When Wet, was the band's second straight Hot 100 number one after 'You Give Love a Bad Name', holding the top spot for four weeks in February 1987.

Which 1980s series followed vigilante ex-commandos led by George Peppard's cigar-chomping colonel?

The A-Team's Peppard predicted a huge hit 'before we ever turned on a camera'; Mr. T played B.A. Baracus, and 'I love it when a plan comes together' ended up on T-shirts.

Which 1984-96 series starred Angela Lansbury as mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher?

Murder, She Wrote premiered on CBS on September 30, 1984 and ran 12 seasons; Angela Lansbury earned 12 Emmy nominations as Cabot Cove novelist Jessica Fletcher without winning once.

Which country's heavily favored hockey team did the US beat in the 1980 'Miracle on Ice'?

The underdog U.S. team, mostly college players, defeated the dominant Soviet Union 4-3 at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. The moment is considered one of the greatest upsets in sports history.

Which 1986 movie follows a high schooler who skips school for a day of adventure in Chicago?

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) was John Hughes's self-described love letter to Chicago, with Matthew Broderick's truant touring the Sears Tower, Wrigley Field and the Art Institute.

What happened to drummer Rick Allen that delayed Def Leppard's 'Hysteria' (1987)?

The crash was on 31 December 1984 near Sheffield; he returned using four electronic pedals under his left foot to trigger the hi-hat, bass, snare and tom.

In which 1988 Tom Hanks film does a Zoltar machine grant a boy adulthood?

In Big (1988), Josh Baskin's wish to a Zoltar machine makes him an adult played by Tom Hanks, who earned a Best Actor nomination; the FAO Schwarz walking-piano duet became the film's signature scene.

Which 1982 Survivor song, written for Rocky III, topped the Hot 100 for six weeks?

'Eye of the Tiger' was written by Survivor at Sylvester Stallone's request for Rocky III; it spent six weeks at #1 in 1982 and won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.

Which 1982 Ridley Scott film starring Harrison Ford depicted a dystopian Los Angeles in 2019?

Blade Runner was a commercial disappointment on release but became one of the most influential sci-fi films ever. Its rain-soaked neon vision of the future defined the cyberpunk aesthetic.

Which 1986 Nintendo game introduced Link and shipped in a gold NES cartridge?

The Legend of Zelda, designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, debuted in Japan in February 1986 and reached North America in 1987 on a gold-coloured NES cartridge with a battery-backed save.

What 1989 animated film, released by Disney, marked the beginning of the 'Disney Renaissance' era?

The Little Mermaid (1989) revitalized Disney animation after years of underperformance. Its success kicked off the Disney Renaissance, leading to Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.

Which fitness personality launched the 'Sweatin' to the Oldies' video series in 1988?

Richard Simmons released the first Sweatin' to the Oldies video in 1988, leading low-impact aerobics to a live band playing 1950s and 60s hits; he had opened his Beverly Hills studio, Slimmons, in 1974.

Which company's Intellivision console challenged the Atari 2600 in the early 1980s?

Mattel Electronics' Intellivision, rolled out nationally in 1980, sold about 3 million units and ran TV ads with George Plimpton comparing its graphics with the Atari 2600's.

Which 1983 spreadsheet program became the IBM PC's killer application?

Lotus 1-2-3, launched in January 1983, combined spreadsheet, charting and database functions in one program and became the IBM PC's killer application, overtaking VisiCalc within months.

On what date in 1989 did the People's Liberation Army clear Tiananmen Square?

Troops cleared Tiananmen Square overnight into June 4, 1989; martial law had been declared on May 20, and the 'Tank Man' photographs were taken on the Avenue of Eternal Peace on June 5.

Which 1985 Dire Straits song with the lyric 'I want my MTV' had a pioneering CGI video?

'Money for Nothing' (1985) set Sting's 'I want my MTV' refrain against early computer-animated characters; it spent three weeks at #1 in the US and won the 1986 Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.

Which Soviet early-warning system raised the false missile alarm Stanislav Petrov dismissed in September 1983?

The Oko satellite early-warning system reported five US missile launches on 26 September 1983; Petrov judged it a false alarm, later traced to sunlight reflecting off high-altitude clouds, three weeks after the KAL 007 shootdown.

Agents of which country's intelligence service sank Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior in Auckland in July 1985?

France's foreign intelligence service, the DGSE, ran the operation, codenamed Opération Satanique, to stop a protest voyage against nuclear testing at Moruroa; photographer Fernando Pereira drowned when the second bomb went off.

Leon Klinghoffer was murdered during the October 1985 hijacking of which Italian cruise liner?

The Achille Lauro was seized off Egypt by four Palestine Liberation Front gunmen on October 7, 1985; the aftermath became the Sigonella Crisis when US and Italian forces faced off at a Sicilian air base.

What was the model name of Motorola's first handheld cellular phone, unveiled in 1983 for $3,995?

The DynaTAC 8000X took about ten hours to charge for 30 minutes of talk time; at 1984's $3.35 minimum wage, its $3,995 price equalled more than seven months of full-time work before taxes.

Which US city saw two TV stations hijacked by a fake Max Headroom on 22 November 1987?

Chicago's WGN-TV lost about half a minute of its 9 p.m. newscast, and PBS station WTTW about 90 seconds of a Doctor Who serial, to a masked Max Headroom impostor; the perpetrators were never identified.

Farman, Gardiner and Shanklin, who first reported the ozone hole in 1985, worked for which organisation?

Joe Farman, Brian Gardiner and Jon Shanklin of the British Antarctic Survey published the Halley Bay ozone findings in Nature in May 1985; NASA's Nimbus-7 satellite had recorded the depletion, but its software had flagged the low values as suspect.

Which US Navy warship shot down Iran Air Flight 655 over the Persian Gulf on 3 July 1988?

The cruiser USS Vincennes fired two missiles at the Airbus A300 on its routine Bandar Abbas-Dubai leg, killing all 290 aboard; the United States later paid compensation to the families without admitting liability.

In 1984 the infant known as Baby Fae became the first baby to receive a heart from which animal?

Surgeon Leonard Bailey transplanted a baboon's heart into Baby Fae at Loma Linda University Medical Center on October 26, 1984; she lived about three weeks, longer than any previous recipient of a non-human heart.

Alexey Pajitnov programmed the original Tetris in about three weeks on which Soviet computer?

Pajitnov wrote Tetris in Pascal on an Elektronika 60 in his spare time at the Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre in 1984; floppy copies spread freely around Moscow before Western releases in 1988.

By what percentage did the Dow fall on Black Monday, 19 October 1987?

The index lost 508 points, or 22.6 percent, falling from 2,246.74 to 1,738.74, far beyond the 12.8 percent of 28 October 1929; volume overwhelmed the exchange's systems and left orders unfilled for an hour or more.

The 1982 Tylenol murders involved capsules laced with which poison?

The Chicago-area Tylenol capsules had been laced with potassium cyanide; seven people died in late September 1982, nobody was ever convicted of the murders, and tamper-evident packaging became standard.

The Herald of Free Enterprise capsized in March 1987 moments after leaving which Belgian port?

The Herald of Free Enterprise left Zeebrugge for Dover on 6 March 1987 with its bow doors open and capsized within minutes of clearing the harbour, killing 193 passengers and crew.

Which E Street Band guitarist wrote the 1985 anti-apartheid single 'Sun City'?

Steven Van Zandt wrote 'Sun City' and assembled Artists United Against Apartheid with journalist Danny Schechter, who pitched it as a song about change rather than charity; the performers pledged never to play the South African resort.

Trivial Pursuit was created by two Canadian editors in which city?

Chris Haney of the Montreal Gazette and Scott Abbott of Canadian Press sketched Trivial Pursuit in Montreal on December 15, 1979, reportedly after finding pieces missing from their Scrabble set.

At what US price did the Commodore 64, the best-selling desktop computer model ever, launch in 1982?

Because Commodore owned its own chip fab, each machine cost an estimated $135 to build. Atari staff at the launch reportedly asked, 'How can you do that for $595?'

How long did the 1982 Falklands War last before Argentina's surrender on 14 June?

The war lasted 74 days: Argentina invaded on 2 April 1982 and its garrison surrendered at Stanley on 14 June, after 255 British and about 650 Argentine servicemen had died.

In which Alaskan body of water did the Exxon Valdez run aground on March 24, 1989?

The tanker struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound shortly after midnight and spilled nearly 11 million gallons of crude, fouling about 1,300 miles of Alaskan coastline.

Over which Scottish town was Pan Am Flight 103 destroyed by a bomb on 21 December 1988?

All 259 aboard and 11 residents of Lockerbie died when the Boeing 747 broke apart at 31,000 feet; Libyan agent Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was convicted of the bombing in 2001.

Which company's pesticide plant leaked methyl isocyanate gas in Bhopal, India, in December 1984?

Union Carbide India Limited's plant released an estimated 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate on the night of 2-3 December 1984; over 500,000 people were exposed and thousands died in the world's worst industrial disaster.

Mount St. Helens erupted catastrophically on May 18, 1980, in which US state?

Mount St. Helens, in Washington's Cascade Range, killed 57 people in the eruption and lost about 1,300 feet of height, dropping from 9,677 to 8,363 feet.

Outside which Manhattan building was John Lennon shot on 8 December 1980?

Lennon was shot at the entrance to the Dakota, his home at 72nd Street and Central Park West, by Mark David Chapman, who then waited for police while reading The Catcher in the Rye.

Where did Prince Charles marry Lady Diana Spencer on 29 July 1981?

The couple chose St Paul's Cathedral over Westminster Abbey for its greater seating; an estimated 750 million people watched on television, and Diana's ivory gown trailed a 25-foot train.

Who shot and wounded Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square on 13 May 1981?

Mehmet Ali Ağca, a Turkish gunman, shot the Pope in the abdomen from the crowd; John Paul II visited and forgave him in Rome's Rebibbia prison in December 1983.

Indira Gandhi was assassinated on 31 October 1984 by whom?

Indira Gandhi was shot in her garden by two of her own Sikh bodyguards, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, in revenge for Operation Blue Star, the June 1984 army assault on the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Which Solidarity leader received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983?

Lech Wałęsa, the Gdańsk shipyard electrician who led Solidarity from 1980, won the 1983 Nobel Peace Prize; his wife Danuta collected it because he feared being barred from re-entering Poland.

What does Gorbachev's policy term 'perestroika' mean?

Perestroika means 'restructuring': Gorbachev's programme from 1985 to loosen central planning and permit limited private enterprise, paired with glasnost, or 'openness'.

On what date did Reagan and Gorbachev sign the INF Treaty?

The INF Treaty was signed at the White House on 8 December 1987, banning ground-launched missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 km; the Reykjavik summit of October 1986 had ended without a deal.

Which Space Shuttle flew the first mission, STS-1, on April 12, 1981?

Columbia lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on April 12, 1981 with John Young and Robert Crippen, who orbited Earth 37 times in 54.5 hours before landing at Edwards Air Force Base.

Which astronaut made the first untethered spacewalk, in February 1984?

Bruce McCandless flew the jet-powered Manned Maneuvering Unit about 100 metres from the shuttle on February 7, 1984 during STS-41-B, producing one of NASA's most famous photographs.

Which ESA probe flew within 600 km of Halley's Comet's nucleus in March 1986?

ESA's Giotto passed about 600 km from Halley's nucleus on 14 March 1986, returning the first close-up images of a comet's nucleus; Halley next returns in 2061.

Who led the Woods Hole side of the expedition that found the Titanic wreck in 1985?

Robert Ballard of Woods Hole co-led the search with IFREMER's Jean-Louis Michel; the towed camera sled Argo spotted one of Titanic's boilers on 1 September 1985, some 12,500 feet down.

What did the Hands Across America fundraiser attempt on May 25, 1986?

Ken Kragen of USA for Africa organized it; it raised about $15 million after costs.

In which Texas city did 18-month-old 'Baby Jessica' fall down a well in October 1987?

Jessica McClure fell into an abandoned well in her aunt's backyard in Midland on October 14, 1987; rescuers drilled a parallel shaft and freed her from the 8-inch casing after 58 hours.

The Iran-Contra affair funneled arms-sale proceeds to rebels in which country?

Proceeds from secret arms sales to Iran were diverted to the Contras fighting Nicaragua's Sandinista government, after the Boland Amendments had barred Congress-appropriated funding of the rebels.

Which two companies co-developed the compact disc, first released in Japan in October 1982?

Philips and Sony jointly wrote the 1980 'Red Book' CD standard; the first players and discs went on sale in Japan on 1 October 1982, with Billy Joel's 52nd Street among the first titles.

Which game was bundled with the Game Boy in North America and Europe in 1989?

Tetris came packed with the Game Boy in North America and Europe in 1989 after Henk Rogers secured the handheld rights for Nintendo in Moscow; Gunpei Yokoi and Satoru Okada's team designed the console.

On what date was the first Air Jordan shoe released to the public?

Nike put the Air Jordan 1 on sale on April 1, 1985 at $65; its 'Banned' ad traded on the NBA's objection to the black-and-red colourway Jordan had worn on court.

Who wrote the 1984 charity single 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'

Band Aid recorded it in a single day at Sarm West Studios in November 1984.

Which U2 album won the Grammy for Album of the Year at the 1988 ceremony?

The Joshua Tree, produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno and released by Island on 9 March 1987, won Album of the Year at the March 1988 Grammys, U2's first win in that category.

Wham! made a publicised ten-day visit to which country in 1985, a first for a Western pop group?

Wham! played Beijing's Workers' Gymnasium and Canton in April 1985, the first Western pop act to perform in communist China; George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley had formed the duo in Bushey in 1981.

Which production trio wrote and produced Rick Astley's 1987 hit 'Never Gonna Give You Up'?

Stock Aitken Waterman wrote and produced 'Never Gonna Give You Up', released on 27 July 1987; it topped the UK chart for five weeks and later became the internet's Rickrolling anthem.

The Golden Girls, which premiered on NBC in 1985, is set in which city?

The Golden Girls shared a house in Miami; Susan Harris created the show, which won two Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series, and all four leads won acting Emmys.

What tool does MacGyver always carry, while refusing to carry a gun?

MacGyver's Swiss Army knife, combined with whatever lay to hand, got him out of every jam; Richard Dean Anderson played the gun-averse agent in the original 1985-92 series.

On what date did M*A*S*H's finale 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen' air on CBS?

'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen' aired on February 28, 1983 to an estimated 106 million viewers, a record for a scripted series episode.

How many seasons did The Oprah Winfrey Show run after its September 1986 debut?

The Oprah Winfrey Show ran 25 seasons and 4,561 episodes from Chicago, from its national debut on September 8, 1986 to May 25, 2011.

Whom did Mike Tyson beat in November 1986 to win his first heavyweight title, aged 20?

Tyson stopped Trevor Berbick in the second round on November 22, 1986 in Las Vegas to take the WBC belt at 20 years and 4 months, the youngest heavyweight champion to that date.

In which minute did Maradona score the 'Hand of God' goal against England in 1986?

Maradona punched the ball past Peter Shilton in the 51st minute of the quarter-final at the Azteca; four minutes later he dribbled past five players for the 'Goal of the Century'.

How old was Boris Becker when he became the youngest men's Wimbledon singles champion in 1985?

Becker was 17 years and 227 days old when he beat Kevin Curren in the 1985 final, also becoming the first unseeded player and first German to win the men's title.

Off which pitcher did Pete Rose collect his record-breaking 4,192nd hit on September 11, 1985?

Rose lined a first-inning single off San Diego's Eric Show at Riverfront Stadium, passing Ty Cobb's 4,191 hits before the Cincinnati home crowd.

Which closer gave up Kirk Gibson's pinch-hit walk-off homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series?

Gibson, hobbled by leg injuries, hit a 3-2 backdoor slider from Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley for a two-run homer; it was his only plate appearance of a series the Dodgers won in five.

Whom did Steffi Graf beat for Olympic gold in Seoul to complete the 1988 'Golden Slam'?

Graf beat Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 6-3 in the Seoul final on October 1, 1988, becoming the first player to win all four majors and Olympic gold in one calendar year.

Which 1988 film won Best Picture, Director, Actor and Original Screenplay Oscars?

Rain Man took four Oscars at the 1989 ceremony: Best Picture, Barry Levinson for Director, Dustin Hoffman as the autistic savant Raymond Babbitt, and Original Screenplay.

Die Hard (1988) was based on which 1979 novel?

Roderick Thorp's Nothing Lasts Forever (1979), a sequel to his novel The Detective, became Die Hard under director John McTiernan; Die Hard 2 drew instead on Walter Wager's 58 Minutes.

Who directed the 1989 Batman film starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson?

Tim Burton directed Batman (1989) from a script by Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren; it grossed over $400 million worldwide and won the Oscar for Art Direction.

Stand by Me (1986) is based on which Stephen King novella?

Stephen King's novella The Body, from his 1982 collection Different Seasons, became Rob Reiner's Stand by Me, which moves Castle Rock from Maine to Oregon and is set in 1959.

The Simpsons debuted as a series on December 17, 1989, after starting as shorts on which program?

The Simpsons shorts began on The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987; Matt Groening sketched the family in the lobby before his pitch meeting, naming them after his own relatives.

Which Colombian volcano's November 1985 eruption buried the town of Armero?

Nevado del Ruiz erupted on November 13, 1985, sending lahars that buried Armero and killed about 23,000 people; photographs of trapped 13-year-old Omayra Sánchez went around the world.

Who coached the amateur US hockey team that pulled off the 1980 'Miracle on Ice'?

Herb Brooks, the University of Minnesota coach, drilled a college roster for months; the Soviets had won five of the previous six Olympic golds, and the US had yet to win its final game to clinch gold.

Which team did the US beat two days after the 'Miracle on Ice' to clinch the 1980 Olympic gold?

The US came from 2-1 down after two periods to beat Finland 4-2 on February 24, 1980; the Soviets took silver with a 9-2 rout of Sweden.

Which player did the Kings send to Edmonton in the August 1988 trade for Wayne Gretzky?

Jimmy Carson, a 55-goal scorer at 19, went to Edmonton with Martin Gélinas, three first-round picks and $15 million; Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski joined Gretzky in Los Angeles.

Which company published the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic in 1984?

Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird conceived the Turtles as a parody of superhero comics of the day; the surprise hit was licensed for toys and TV in 1987.

Which actress delivered Wendy's 1984 catchphrase 'Where's the beef?'

The director wanted her to say 'Where is all the beef?' but her emphysema made the longer line impossible; the ad was titled 'Fluffy Bun'.

Which gymnast became the first American woman to win Olympic all-around gold, in 1984?

Mary Lou Retton scored perfect 10s on floor and vault to win the all-around in Los Angeles, adding two silvers and two bronzes and becoming Sports Illustrated's 1984 Sportswoman of the Year.