1982 World Expo: Futuristic World's Fair Opens

The radical world of 1982

Chapter 1

Headlines that shaped the globe

Chapter 2

The golden year of sci-fi cinema

Chapter 3

Vinyl, synths, and the thriller effect

Chapter 4

Screen time and page turners

Chapter 5

Arcades, smileys, and retro trends

YOUR GOAL

Master of The radical world of 1982

Ch 5 · Arcades, smileys, and retro trends

schopenhauer The origins of San Fernando Valley slang.

schopenhauer 1982 Retro Trends

Type a colon, hyphen, smiley face— (A brand new view!) While Ms. Pac-Man rules the arcade space! (Yeah, in 'eighty-two!)

schopenhauer The invention of the first text-based smiley face emoticon

Slang from the San Fernando Valley

schopenhauer Frank Zappa's hit song Valley Girl popularized a unique subculture and its colorful slang.

The simple smiley that changed text

schopenhauer Computer scientist Scott Fahlman proposed using emoticons to clarify tone in online messages.

Smiley Arcade Pal

BETA

schopenhauer Sort 1982 trivia to discover the year's biggest movies, music, and news.

Fun Fact

Accidental icon: The smiley emoticon was invented because a joke about a physics experiment on a school message board was mistaken for a real emergency.

Glossary

emoticon (noun)
A representation of a facial expression such as a smile or frown, created by typing a sequence of characters. In September 1982, computer scientist Scott Fahlman proposed the first digital emoticon at Carnegie Mellon University.

Gossip

Which 1982 retro trend would you bring back?

Quiz

What color was the bow on Ms. Pac-Man's head in the 1982 game?

schopenhauer The history and design of the arcade game Ms. Pac-Man

Quiz

Which musician recorded the satirical 1982 song 'Valley Girl' with his daughter?

schopenhauer Disney opens the futuristic EPCOT Center theme park in Florida.

Quiz

Who invented the smiley emoticon in September 1982?

Quiz

Which highly successful arcade sequel was released in North America in January 1982?

Quiz

On what platform did Scott Fahlman post the first emoticon in 1982?

Quiz

Which slang phrase was popularized by the 1982 'Valley Girl' culture?

Quiz

What does the acronym EPCOT stand for in Disney's theme park that opened in 1982?

Quiz

What is the name of the massive geodesic sphere at the center of Disney's EPCOT?