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New ‘ads in the sky’ could be the latest chilling prediction The Simpsons actually got right

Home> News> Tech News

Published 13:17 28 Jan 2025 GMT

New ‘ads in the sky’ could be the latest chilling prediction The Simpsons actually got right

Space is just one giant billboard

Tom Chapman

Tom Chapman

At this point, it would be easier to list things The Simpsons hasn't predicted instead of things it has.

From the election of President Donald Trump to the OceanGate disaster, FIFA corruption scandals to Lady Gaga performances, The Simpsons has seemingly been getting things right since Lisa predicted the Washington Redskins would win Super Bowl XXVI in season 3.

In terms of tech, everything from smartwatches to video calls have been foreshadowed by The Simpsons, and with one Russian startup trying to take to the skies with advertising, you can bet the long-running cartoon saw that coming too.

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The Simpsons is oddly close to StartRocket's plans for space (20th Television Animation)
The Simpsons is oddly close to StartRocket's plans for space (20th Television Animation)

Russian startup StartRocket hopes to help brands advertise from space, using light-reflecting satellites to create giant billboards similar to skytyping.

These 'cubesats' are supposed to sit in low-Earth orbit and display giant ads back on Earth depending on how they're arranged. Although only visible at night, it's thought these colossal ads would be visible from anywhere on Earth.

Each cubesat would rest about 280 miles above the planet and be equipped with a solar sail around 30 feet in diameter.

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If you're struggling to see how this connects to The Simpsons, cast your minds back to 2011's "Holidays of Future Passed".

The Simpsons' future episodes are some of the best-loved, and in season 23, we got a glimpse of the family's future - including Lisa being married to Milhouse.

During one brief gag, Lisa looks to the sky where satellites have been rearranged to promote brands. As well as telling her to drink Buzz Cola, there's also an advert championing real estate agent Cookie Kwan.

Other predictions from the episode include putting a man on the surface of the Sun, the invention of shrink rays, and Prince Harry becoming a ruthless tyrant (we'll put a pin in that one).

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Some predictions like the common use of cryogenic freezing and the discovery of Martian life don't seem too far-fetched, while satellite advertising is closer than ever.

Speaking to Futurism in 2019, StartRocket project leader Vlad Sitnikov explained: "We are ruled by brands and events. The Super Bowl, Coca Cola, Brexit, the Olympics, Mercedes, FIFA, Supreme and the Mexican wall. The economy is the blood system of society.

"Entertainment and advertising are at its heart. We will live in space, and humankind will start delivering its culture to space. The more professional and experienced pioneers will make it better for everyone."

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He didn't share how much these ads could cost, but by saying "ego is brighter than the sun," we'd imagine it's a pretty penny.

Someone definitely not interested is Pepsi, with the major brand shutting down rumors that it was working with StartRocket to advertise in space.

As the StartRocket site looks a little sparse and there's been no update on where things are up to, don't expect to see a giant Coca-Cola sign looming above us just yet.

While we'll give it to The Simpsons in terms of predicting this one, seeing into the future is something showrunner Matt Selman has downplayed.

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Debunking the conspiracy theories in October 2024, he told People: "Well, the sourpuss answer I always give that no one likes is that if you study history and math, it would be literally impossible for us not to predict things.

"If you say enough things, some of them are going to overlap with reality, and then that’s the math element."

Featured Image Credit: Disney
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