S10E22 “They Saved Lisa’s Brain”
For those curious, the donut shaped universe shown isn’t what the theoretical universe model actually looks like,
What it represents is an “asteroids like” geometry of a two dimensional universe where exiting one “side” brings you to a corresponding point on the other.
The proposed donut geometry of the universe is what’s called a 3-roid or 3-tauroid, which is basically the same idea as the asteroids like 2D universe but for a prism instead of a rectangle. Meaning that our ability to return to the starting point is based on the fact that we are moving along a 3-D “surface” of a 4th dimensional object, the way the Asteroids ship loops back to the start by moving across the 2-dimensional surface of a 3-D geometry.
Part of me wonders if this means that the actual boundaries of the universe are at 0+ and 0- along the W/A axis in 4-D space, and if that means that every character who has some power related to moving in 4-D space would actually just fall out of space and time if they ever tried using their abilities for real.
This but the donut is 4d so that 3d things can move around on it (I think…)
So a donut just like in the picture? Homer was rights the earth isn’t flat but donut shaped
I asked ChatGPT to explain it to me and it came up with this:
This description is discussing a theoretical concept where the universe is shaped like a donut, known as a “3-roid” or “3-tauroid”. In this model, moving through the universe is akin to navigating a 3D surface of a 4D object, similar to how a spaceship in a 2D video game wraps around when reaching the edge of the screen. The suggestion of characters with 4D movement abilities falling out of space and time is a speculative idea based on this theoretical framework.
I think they covered what happens when you get to one side of the universe and keep going in a different episode
Fun fact: 1782¹² + 1841¹² = 1922¹² is an incorrect equation, per Fermat’s last theorem.
They put that equation there because some of the writers of the episode have a mathematical background, and they knew it was wrong, but the error is so relatively small that if someone writes that in a normal calculator they’ll get the equality. So basically an easter egg for someone that knows about Fermat’s last theorem.
Scientists still currently unsure on if the universe has sprinkles or not.
I always wondered if Steven Hawking was ever actually a guest on The Simpsons or any other cartoon he appears in. Surely he had the easiest voice to fake back before modern robo voices and AI.
Yes, for exactly 2 series!
He was a Futurama fan and recorded his voice three times for the show. Gygax and Al Gore also did their own voices.
He also did voice work on The Simpsons. In both they sent him the lines and he recorded them at home.
He also did a few live action shows and appeared in Star Trek TNG, The Big Bang Theory, narrated Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking, and hosted Masters of Science Fiction (off screen). He also did some talk shows and some factual stuff, but that’s less interesting in this context.
The other places where you see him were people just using a voice synth.
I love both, but what I really love is people doing fun things out of the context in which I know them. That includes both people like Stephen Hawking doing cartoons and people like one of my bartenders on the same Singles Ghost Tour I went on a few years ago (I don’t believe but the “history” is fun).
He was a guest at epstines Island too, just because he’s disabled doesn’t mean he lives in a box.
mmmm universe
