The 11 Nerdiest Jokes on Futurama and What They Mean

Odds and Sods

(Image: Fox)

Futurama is a funny show, but there's also a lot of good science in it. The Geek Twins, Maurice and Nigel Mitchell, rounded up 11 great jokes from that show that science and technology nerds will especially enjoy. For example, the episode "The Luck of the Fryish" includes a horse racing scene with a physics reference:

The Joke:  At a racetrack, they use a "quantum finish" to declare the winner. Professor Farnsworth complains, "No fair! You changed the outcome by measuring it!"
The Meaning: The "quantum finish" is about the observer effect. The observer effect means just watching something can change what's being watched. For example, in experiments, particles will literally change how they behave, depending on whether they're being watched. Farnsworth is protesting that watching the horse race changed the winner.

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