"String theory is like a Twinkie. It's sweet, creamy, and if you're not careful, it'll leave you feeling empty and unsatisfied."

Sheldon Cooper made this humorous comparison between string theory (which explains the characteristics of the universe) and a cream-filled snack cake in the American Sitcom The Big Bang Theory. 

The screenwriters gave the Sicom’s star character the gift of explaining complex physics concepts through relatable, albeit silly, analogies. It worked and The Big Bang Theory was a hit that ran for 12 seasons.

It might have entertained more than to educate, but it did influence public perception of science and scientists. So too have other “Sitcom Science” series like  “Futurama”, “The Simpsons”, “3rd Rock from the Sun”, and “Scrubs”.

Nobody does it better than the Americans, we all have to admit!

Laughable nerds have the excuse (mission) of bringing serious science into our living/bed rooms. 

And we need more than ever if the human race is to survive the era of AI and Climate Change.

So, can we laugh and at the same time learn that a group of scientists have made an RNA breakthrough that can help rice and potatoes grow by 50 per cent and can be a solution to Climate Change?

The mass world population will probably not learn of this University of Chicago-led research discovery that RNA (remember the Pfizer and Moderna covid-19 vaccines) with added gene encoding can greatly increase yields of rice and potato – without the SITCOM SCIENCE!

Hollywood scriptwriters can surely twist the explanation by UChicago’s Professor Chuan He that: ”When you and I see trouble, we can run away. But plants, unfortunately, have to stay where they are. So, they have ways to sense the surrounding environmental conditions and adapt them...”

Surely, they can in a funny simplistic way....

American Sitcoms have popularized many scientific concepts and jargons. 

Futurama introduced viewers to speculative science and futuristic concepts, often blending humors with real scientific theories. The Simpsons brought attention to environmental and technological issues. Scrubs helped demystify aspects of medical science and healthcare, making medical knowledge more accessible to the public.

By design or otherwise, two current science fiction hits - Dune: Part Two, Mad Max: Fury Road – are all about water or lack of it, in a futuristic grim. Both movies portray humanity fighting hopes.

So what can RNA do to rice and potatoes?

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Further readings: https://news.uchicago.edu/story/rna-breakthrough-crops-grow-50-percent-more-potatoes-rice-climate-change
https://news.uchicago.edu/inside-the-lab/chuan-he