The Simpsons ‘predicted’ US gas shortage back in 2010, say fans on Twitter

‘The Simpsons writers must have had a time machine,’ joked one fan

Fans of The Simpsons have claimed that the long-running animation “predicted” the recent fuel shortages in the US.

Earlier this month, a disruptive cyberattack prompted a six-day closure of the country’s Colonial Pipeline, leading to thousands of stations running dry. There were also many reports of panic-buying, with drivers filling tanks and jerrycans with petrol in anticipation of a lasting shortage.

The Simpsons is notorious for its foreshadowing of global news events, sometimes decades before they happen.

In the past, the show has “predicted” occurrences such as the election of Donald Trump as US president, and the discovery of the Higgs boson.

Writing on social media last week, some fans suggested that the series had “predicted” the gas shortage in the 2010 episode “Lisa Simpson, This Isn’t Your Life”.

In the episode, Homer is seen buying 1,000 gallons of gasoline in order to purchase specific promotional toys for Maggie.

As part of the sequence, Homer is seen filling up the back of his car with gasoline.

The clip was shared on social media with the caption “The Simpsons predicted it again. LOL. #GasShortage2021”

“Wait the Simpsons predicted this gas shortage too?!” wrote someone else.

“The Simpsons writers must have had a time machine,” joked another Twitter user.

Of course, the scene itself makes no reference to a gas shortage; like many of the series’ so-called “predictions”, it’s simply an amusing visual joke that fans have re-interpreted to fit an unintended context.

The Colonial Pipeline has reopened in the past week, with fuel supplies expected to return to normal.

You can find a list of The Simpsons’ best predictions here.