10 Times Cartoons Predicted The Future And Were Scarily Accurate
Animation has uncanny knack for peeking into the future.
1. "Futurama" (1999-2013) – The Big Bang Theory
"Futurama," a cartoon known for its humor and far-out science fiction plots, somehow managed to predict the revised Big Bang Theory. In the episode "The Farnsworth Parabox" (Season 4, Episode 15), we see multiple parallel universes, each originating from a different Big Bang.
It was all good fun until 2015 when scientists started floating the idea of multiverses and parallel universes springing from separate Big Bangs. Audiences were amused, scientists were perplexed, and somewhere, the Futurama writers' room was probably smirking.
2. "The Jetsons" (1962-1963, 1985-1987) – Modern Technology
Okay, so "The Jetsons" basically created a template for future inventors. Video calling? Check. Robot maids? Check. Flying cars? Well, we're getting there. The Jetsons made it all look so everyday back in the 60s and 80s, it's almost as if Elon Musk had the show on loop during his formative years. The audience loved the idea of talking face-to-face on a screen, and fast-forward a few decades, here we are, Zoom-ing our way through life.
3. "The Fairly OddParents" (2001-2017) – VR Technology
Remember when Timmy Turner dove headfirst into the Internet? In the episode "Information Stupor Highway" (Season 2, Episode 14), he does just that, giving us a taste of immersive virtual reality way before Oculus Rift hit the shelves. The Fairly OddParents writers definitely had their magic wands waving high for that one. Audiences were thrilled, thinking it was all just cartoon fantasy. Little did they know they would soon be strapping VR headsets onto their own faces.
4. "South Park" (1997-present) – 2016 U.S. Presidential Election
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"South Park," known for its satirical takes on current issues, bizarrely predicted the 2016 U.S. Presidential election outcome in the episode "Douche and Turd" (Season 8, Episode 8), a full decade ahead. The uncanny similarities left audiences reeling when reality played out. Let's just say Trey Parker and Matt Stone might have chuckled uncomfortably while watching the election results roll in.
5. "The Simpsons" (1989-present) – Disney Acquiring 20th Century Fox
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Yes, we've all heard about "The Simpsons" predicting President Trump, but let's shine a light on another astoundingly accurate prediction. In the episode "When You Dish Upon a Star" (Season 10, Episode 5), there's a sign outside the Fox studio saying, "A Division of Walt Disney Co." That was 1998. Fast forward to 2019, and Disney announced its acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Somewhere, a Simpsons writer must have gazed into a crystal ball and seen Mickey Mouse and the Fox logo high-fiving each other.
6. "Inspector Gadget" (1983-1986) – Tablets and Siri
Let's cast our minds back to the 80s, where a bumbling detective and his intelligent niece Penny solved crimes in "Inspector Gadget." Penny's computer book was nothing short of a marvel – a handheld device she used to gather information, something eerily similar to modern-day tablets. Not just that, her dog, Brain, had a collar that translated his thoughts, echoing today's smart assistants like Siri. For kids watching back then, it was pure science fiction, but today it's as commonplace as breakfast cereal.
7. "Duckman" (1994-1997) – Auto-Correct Frustrations
The episode "Cellar Beware" from this lesser-known but critically acclaimed animated sitcom subtly hinted at the frustration of auto-correct, a universal annoyance of the 21st century. Duckman, the show's sarcastic protagonist, gets aggravated with his Predicto spellchecker. Fast-forward to today, and who among us hasn't wrestled with an overzealous auto-correct? The creators might have been going for a laugh, but they ended up predicting a modern pet peeve instead.
8. "The Flintstones" (1960-1966) – Robot Vacuum Cleaners
Before Roomba, there was "The Flintstones." Despite being set in the stone age, the show often featured animal-powered gadgets that mirror modern appliances. One such invention was a tiny mammoth acting as an automatic vacuum cleaner, akin to today's robotic vacuums. While audiences of the 60s would have dismissed it as a fun anachronism, today's viewers might find it suspiciously familiar as they watch their Roomba scoot across their living room floor.
9. "The Powerpuff Girls" (1998-2005) – Expressive Emojis
"The Powerpuff Girls" episode "Mime for a Change" showed the town of Townsville communicating via floating symbols called "expressive pictographs," a perfect analogy for our current emoji-obsessed culture. The creators might have meant it as a whimsical way of communication for a town turned colorless and speechless, but they unwittingly predicted our digital language staple of today.
10. "The Ren & Stimpy Show" (1991-1995) – Nose Goblins
In the "Ren's Bitter Half" episode, Ren is split into his evil side and his indifferent side, and the indifferent half creates a new buddy from his own nose goblin (yep, it's what you think). The prediction comes in when the nose goblin grows into a full-sized sentient being, mirroring how scientists today are able to grow living tissue from human cells. The show's creators were probably going for gross-out humor, but they inadvertently foresaw a significant scientific breakthrough.