"The Discovery Dissipation" is an episode of The Big Bang Theory that first aired on December 5, 2013. Directed by Mark Cendrowski. Teleplay by Steven Molaro, Steve Holland and Adam Faberman, based on a story by Eric Kaplan, Jim Reynolds and Maria Ferrari.
At the behest of the university, Sheldon goes on a National Public Radio (NPR) show to talk about his accidental scientific discovery. Ashamed of his blunder, Sheldon is obnoxious, snaps at the radio host and leaves abruptly.
Leonard looks into the Chinese experiment and determines that the data is falsified. Leonard thinks Sheldon will like that, but of course by the time Leonard tells Sheldon, the annoying manchild has decided that he should be proud of his "wonder blunder" after all.
Meanwhile, Raj needs a place for him and his dog to stay at for a week, so he stays with Bernadette and Howard. Raj quickly outstays his welcome.
Tropes:
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Sheldon is playing with his trains.Sheldon: Here comes the Embarrassment Express. It stops at Fraudville, Wonder-Bluder-Burg, and Kansas City, because it's a hub.
- As Himself: Wil Wheaton and NPR host Ira Flatow.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Leonard disproved the existence of the element that Sheldon supposedly discovered. He thinks that will make Sheldon happy, as he won't be in the spotlight anymore; unfortunately, this was just after Sheldon decided to embrace that spotlight.
- Previously on…: We're reminded that in the earlier episode "The Romance Resonance" Sheldon thought he had discovered a way to synthesize a very heavy element. A Chinese team confirmed Sheldon's discovery, but in that very same episode Sheldon realized his calculations were wrong because he misread a table.
- Swear Jar: Invoked when Sheldon is talking over the phone with an angry President Siebert.Sheldon: Well, if you wanted to raise money for the university, you should consider a swear jar. [Beat] Wow, that's a dollar right there!
