Some significant events that took place in 1985 include:

• January 28: The inauguration of President Ronald Reagan for a second term in office.
• April 12: The first .com domain name is registered.
• June 7: The first UK Live Aid concert takes place, raising money for famine relief in Ethiopia.
• September 19: The Mexico City earthquake kills over 10,000 people.
• October 11: Microsoft releases Windows 1.0, the first version of the now-ubiquitous operating system.
• November 6: "Back to the Future" is released, becoming a hugely popular and influential film.
• December 19: The signing of the Schengen Agreement, which leads to the creation of the European Union's border-free travel area.
• The wreck of the Titanic was discovered.
• The United States and the Soviet Union signed the Geneva Accords, which helped to reduce tensions between the two nations.