In the 1993 episode "Marge in Chains", Homer is arrested for pollution after dumping toxic waste into Springfield Lake. In 2015, Volkswagen was caught cheating on emissions tests for its diesel cars, and the company was forced to pay billions of dollars in fines.
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In the 1995 episode "Lisa the Iconoclast", Homer becomes a spokesperson for Duff Beer. In 2013, Duff Beer was named the most popular cartoon beer of all time by a poll of beer drinkers.
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In the 1998 episode "The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace", Homer invents a device that can translate animal languages. In 2013, scientists at the University of Washington developed a device that can translate dog barks.
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In the 1999 episode "E-I-E-I-D'oh!", Homer invents a new type of tomato called the "Tomacco". In 2003, scientists at the University of California, Davis, developed a genetically modified tomato that tastes like bacon.
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In the 2000 episode "Lisa's Wedding", Lisa's future husband, Hugh, is seen wearing a smart watch. In 2013, Samsung released the Galaxy Gear, the first commercially available smart watch.