The "Ebola Outbreak" (1997)

The Simpsons has earned quite the reputation for seemingly predicting the future. It’s actually a bit of a meme at this point, with fans pointing out how many things in the real world appear to have been "predicted" by the show, sometimes years in advance. While some of these predictions are purely coincidental or the result of broad satire, others do seem oddly prescient.

The "Ebola Outbreak" (1997)

• What happened: In the episode "Bart's Inner Child" (1997), there is a subplot about an outbreak of a deadly virus. While it doesn't explicitly name Ebola, the episode shows a health scare involving a contagious virus.
• Reality: The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was a significant global health crisis. The virus spread to multiple countries, including the United States, prompting widespread panic, media coverage, and global responses. The show was eerily close in predicting the fear and urgency that would surround such outbreaks.