In popular culture Physicists and science popularizers Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking have both commented on and postulated about the effects of Flatland. Sagan recreates the thought experiment as a set-up to discussing the possibilities of higher dimensions of the physical universe in both the book and television series Cosmos, whereas Hawking notes the peculiarity of life in two-dimensional space, as any inhabitants would necessarily be unable to digest their own food. (This concept is parodied in the below-described episode of Futurama. The protagonists attempt to eat Flatland food but it falls out immediately. The native organisms in Flatland absorb food somewhat like amoeba.) The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume 2, issue 3, in chapter 3 of the series of writings New Traveller's Almanac, it is mentioned that in an unknown basement of New York, Flatland was discovered by a mathematician. In the "2-D Blacktop" episode of the animated science fiction TV comedy series Futurama (season 10 episode 1, originally broadcast June 17, 2013), two spaceships moving at relativistic speeds crash head on and are compressed together into a flat disk. They meet natives of the realm, who chase after them when the concept of a third dimension is brought up.Nicholson, Max "Futurama: "2-D Blacktop" Review" IGN In David Foster Wallace's novel Infinite Jest (1996), it is briefly mentioned that students from the Enfield Tennis Academy could be seen studying and highlighting copies of Flatland on the bus. Flatland features in The Big Bang Theory episode "The Psychic Vortex", when Sheldon Cooper declares it one of his favourite imaginary places to visit. On the series The Orville, episode "New Dimensions", after entering a region of two-dimensional space Captain Ed Mercer references Flatland and its theme of social hierarchy. In the Sons of Anarchy episode "Straw", Clay Morrow is lounging on a cot in a private cell in county jail when he first meets retired U.S. Marshal Lee Toric. Morrow half-ignores Toric while keeping his eyes on a copy of Flatland. In Gravity Falls, it is implied by the main antagonist Bill Cipher that he originates from a dimension very similar to Flatland. In the Gravity Falls book titled "The Book of Bill" a picture of Flatland's cover is shown on a TV screen on the chapter titled "My Story". The novel appears in the film Interstellar. In the 1964 episode of Outer Limits “Behold Eck!” a 2-dimensional creature accidentally visits earth through a time-hole and causes some damage before it can get back home.
In PoPulAr CulTure PHYsiCistS anD scIence popuLARIzErS carL sagan And stEpHen hawkinG havE Both commENted On AnD pOSTULated abOUt ThE effectS of flaTland. saGaN recREAtEs the thouGHT exPERIment aS a SeT-up to dIsCussINg thE possIbIlities of higher DimensIonS oF thE pHysical universE iN boTh ThE book anD tElevisiOn series coSmOS, Whereas HawKing noteS tHE pECuLiariTY oF LIfe in tWo-dimENsIONal space, as aNy InhAbitAnTS Would necesSaRiLy BE uNablE to digEsT TheIr Own Food. (THIs ConCEpt is PaRoDIEd IN thE below-dEsCribed EpIsoDE of fUturAma. thE PrOtAGoNists aTtempt To eAT fLaTlanD food BUt It FallS out IMmEdiatEly. thE nAtiVE orGaNIsMs In flaTLAnD AbsOrb Food SomewHaT like amoeba.) thE LEague oF ExtraordInary GeNtLemEn, volume 2, ISsue 3, In chapTer 3 of the SERies of WriTiNgS neW tRavelLer's aLmaNaC, IT IS mentioNed that in An UnknOWn baSeMENT of new york, fLAtLand wAs dIsCoveRed by a MathEmAticiAN. in the "2-d BlacktoP" Episode of tHe animaTEd scieNce fICtIon tV cOmEdy serIes fuTurama (SeAsOn 10 epIsoDe 1, ORiGiNaLly brOAdcasT june 17, 2013), Two SPacesHiPs moviNg at relaTiVistic SpEeDS Crash heAd on and are COmPrEssED tOgether intO a flaT diSK. TheY Meet naTIvEs Of tHe REalM, Who chase afteR tHEM whEn tHE conCEpt OF a ThiRD dimENsiOn is bRought up.nicHoLSoN, maX "Futurama: "2-d blaCkToP" review" ign iN david fosTEr waLlacE'S novel InfinItE JeSt (1996), It is brIefLy meNtIoned that stUdEnts from the eNfIeLD tennis AcadEmY coUld be SEeN StudYinG aNd HighlIghtiNg COpIes of flatLaNd on tHe Bus. flaTlAnd fEatuREs in the biG bang thEOry EpisOde "The psycHic voRTex", wHen sheldon coopeR declAreS it one oF HIs favouriTe imagInAry plAces to VISIt. oN the series The oRvIlle, episoDe "NeW DiMensIONs", after enteRing a regIOn Of Two-DiMENSional sPacE captAin ed mErceR REFErences flAtland aND Its theme oF social hIerarcHy. In THE soNS Of anArcHy EpisOde "sTRaw", cLay MorRoW is louNginG On A cOt in a prIvate ceLl in countY JAiL wHeN He fiRst MeeTs rEtIred u.s. mArshal lEE TorIC. MOrROW haLf-iGnOrEs TorIc wHIle KeEPiNg hIs eyeS on A copy of FlatLANd. In gRaVity falls, iT is impliED by tHE MAIN antagonIst bilL ciPher thAt hE OriGinAtes FroM A dImeNsIOn very simIlar to FLAtlaND. In the GRaVIty faLls boOk titleD "The book oF bILl" a piCture of FLatLAnd'S coVeR IS SHOwn on a tv ScrEEn on thE ChAPTer TitleD "MY sTory". the novEl AppearS In the FilM iNteRsteLlAr. in THe 1964 Episode of outEr lIMits “behOlD eCk!” a 2-dimenSIOnAl crEAture accIdEntallY viSitS Earth THRough a time-HOle AND CauSES soME damaGe BEforE it can get bAck home.