Since its debut in 1989, The Simpsons has earned a reputation for its humor, cultural critiques, and surprisingly accurate predictions. While most shows are forgotten after a few seasons, this long-running animated series continues to stay relevant—largely because it somehow manages to foresee the future.
From political outcomes to technological advancements and real-world disasters, The Simpsons has predicted it all. Let’s explore 23 eerie times this cartoon got things right long before anyone else.
1. The Super Bowl Predictions
Back in the early ’90s, The Simpsons correctly predicted the winners of Super Bowls for three straight years. Lisa named Washington, Dallas, and San Francisco—and each one went on to win. That kind of accuracy raised some serious eyebrows.
2. Trump as President
In Season 11’s “Bart to the Future,” Lisa becomes president and mentions inheriting “quite a budget crunch from President Trump.” This aired in 2000. Sixteen years later, Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States. Coincidence?
3. Michelangelo’s David Censorship
When Marge pushes back against cartoon violence in Season 2, the public turns against nude statues like Michelangelo’s David. Decades later, Russia proposed covering such statues for modesty—just like in the episode.
4. Ferrets Sold as Poodles
A hilarious bit in The Simpsons featured people being scammed into buying ferrets disguised as poodles. This actually happened in Argentina, where two ferrets were sold as “toy poodles.”
5. The Doughnut-Shaped Universe
In a funny moment with Stephen Hawking, Homer theorizes the universe is shaped like a doughnut. Believe it or not, that’s a real (though fringe) theory in cosmology.
Video : How The Simpsons Predict The Future
6. Submarine Disaster Foreshadowed
In one episode, Homer gets trapped in a deep-sea submersible with dwindling oxygen. Sound familiar? It mirrors the 2023 OceanGate Titan submersible disaster far too closely.
7. Video Calling Predicted Before Its Time
Way back in 1995, The Simpsons featured Lisa using video calls. FaceTime and Zoom weren’t a thing yet, but they nailed the future of communication.
8. FIFA Corruption Scandal
In 2014, the show aired an episode where Homer referees a corrupt FIFA match. A year later, the real-life scandal erupted, shaking up the soccer world.
9. Germany’s World Cup Victory
That same FIFA episode showed Germany winning. In reality, Germany took the trophy just months later in the 2014 World Cup.
10. Tiger Mauls Performer
A 1993 episode showed a magician being mauled by a tiger. Ten years later, Roy Horn from Siegfried & Roy suffered a near-fatal tiger attack during a performance.
11. Homer and the Higgs Boson
In a 1998 episode, Homer scribbled an equation on a chalkboard. Years later, scientists realized it was eerily close to the real formula for the Higgs boson, discovered in 2012.
12. Voting Machine Glitch
A 2008 Halloween episode showed Homer trying to vote for Obama, only to have his vote go to McCain. In 2012, a voting machine in Pennsylvania did exactly that.
13. The All-You-Can-Eat Lawsuit
Homer once sued a seafood restaurant for kicking him out before he was full. In 2017, a man in Massachusetts did the same, suing for being denied endless crab legs.
14. Horse Meat in School Lunches
In Season 5, the school cafeteria serves up horse meat. Fast forward to 2013, and a real European food scandal revealed horse meat in mislabeled beef products.
15. Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl Entrance
In 2012, The Simpsons showed Lady Gaga flying through the air during a performance. She did just that in her 2017 Super Bowl halftime show, complete with a glittery outfit.
16. Everyday People Going to Space
In “Deep Space Homer,” NASA sends Homer—an average guy—into space. Years later, companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin made civilian space travel a reality.
17. Smartwatches
Lisa’s boyfriend in a 1995 episode used a watch to talk. Nearly two decades later, smartwatches like the Apple Watch became mainstream.
18. Grease Theft as a Business
Homer and Bart try to make money by stealing and selling grease. That actually became a real crime trend in the 2000s, with thieves targeting used restaurant oil.
19. Ebola Before It Was in the Headlines
A book titled “Curious George and the Ebola Virus” appeared in a 1997 episode. Years later, Ebola became a major global health crisis in 2014.
20. Baby Speech Translator
Herb, Homer’s half-brother, invents a baby translator in Season 3. In recent years, tech companies have been working on devices that interpret baby cries.
21. NSA Spying Revelation
In The Simpsons Movie, Marge discovers the government is spying on everyone. In 2013, Edward Snowden confirmed the NSA had indeed been doing exactly that.
22. Nobel Prize Prediction
In a 2010 episode, Milhouse bets on Bengt Holmström winning the Nobel Prize. In 2016, Holmström was announced as the real winner. That’s just spooky.
Video : 34 Predictions From The Simpsons That Actually Happened
23. U.S. Curling Team Takes Olympic Gold
In Season 21, Homer and Marge win Olympic gold in curling. In real life, the U.S. men’s curling team won their first gold in 2018, beating Sweden—just like the episode.
Conclusion: Coincidence or Creative Genius?
Some say it’s luck. Others argue it’s a brilliant team of writers who understand society deeply enough to make educated guesses. But one thing’s for sure—The Simpsons has a knack for predicting reality in ways that are too detailed to ignore. As new episodes keep rolling out, fans will keep watching closely… because who knows what they’ll predict next?
