The kids with science projects in the background of the science fair scenes were actual NYC middle school students with real science projects that were submitted to the NYC borough-wide science fair. These scenes were filmed over a three-day period at the Penta Hotel in NYC on 33rd St.
Dr. Mathewson's line, "fellow sons of bitches," is a reference to original Manhattan Project scientist Kenneth Bainbridge. Following the first successful test explosion of an atomic bomb on July 16, 1945, Bainbridge said to fellow project scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, "Now we are all sons of bitches."
During the scene where they are cutting the bomb flashtube wires, the time left on the timer when the wires are cut is 7:16:45, which refers to the day of the first atomic bomb test (July 16, 1945).
Paul's science class nemesis, Roland, invented the Internet as his science fair project. This movie was made ten years before the Internet reached widespread public notoriety.
A similar statistical anomaly of 4 leaf clover was recorded by a former government employee within 10 miles of Oak Ridge, Tennessee in 2022.