Mystery Of 1938 'Time Traveler' With Cell Phone Solved? (VIDEO)

Contributor

The mystery surrounding a video that appears to show a young woman talking on a cell phone in 1938 may be solved. The explanation, if true, is sure to disappoint many conspiracy theorists.

The black-and-white footage shows a group of young people, possibly factory workers, walking out of a building. A brunette in a light-colored dress smiles into the camera, her hand pressed to her ear. She is holding what looks to be a large portable phone.

The Daily Mail reports that the clip surfaced online about a year ago and kicked off speculation about a time traveler caught on camera. Recently, a YouTube commenter who goes by the handle Planetcheck claimed to know the woman in the footage.

Though the version of the YouTube clip with Planetcheck's original comments has been removed, the Daily Mail and Yahoo! News blog The Sideshow copied some of Planetcheck's claims before the video disappeared.

According to the posts, Planetcheck professes to be the grandchild of the cell phone woman. Her name is Gertrude Jones, Planetcheck writes, and she was not a time traveler.

"She was 17 years old," Planetcheck writes. "I asked her about this video and she remembers it quite clearly. She says Dupont [the company that reportedly owns the factory in the video] had a telephone communications section in the factory. They were experimenting with wireless telephones. Gertrude and five other women were given these wireless phones to test out for a week. Gertrude is talking to one of the scientists holding another wireless phone who is off to her right as she walks by."

Wireless phones in the 1930s? YouTubers were skeptical.

Answering YouTube critics who questioned why such an amazing device received so little notice for several decades, Planetcheck blamed the factory owners:

Maybe they decided it was too far advanced for people and they abandoned the idea. ... Ideas are hatched, prototypes are made and sometimes like this phone they are forgotten until somebody discovers some long lost film of the world first wireless phone and marvels at it.

Planetcheck also claimed to still have the phone in a glass box somewhere. (We'll believe that when we see it.)

David Mikkelson, founder of Snopes.com, a website that specializes in analyzing popular Internet theories, told The Huffington Post in a telephone interview that videos like this one are as difficult to disprove as they are to prove.

"You can take any piece of WWII footage showing someone holding something to the side of their head talking, and claim it is a time traveling cell phone user," Mikkelson said. "Film clips aren't of sufficient resolution to see what the people are carrying. It could be anything from a handkerchief to a hearing aid, or who knows what. And this video is silent, so you can't even tell if the person is engaged in a two-way conversation."

Mikkelson added it is plausible Dupont could have been working on some sort of hand-held prototype, similar to a walkie-talkie. Still, he remained skeptical.

"I doubt it would have just been handed out to a young woman working at the factory," he said. "And why isn't there documentation?"

Neither Planetcheck nor Dupont could not be reached for comment.

A similar "time traveler" video captured the imaginations of conspiracy theorists in 2010. The clip consists of unreleased footage from a 1928 Charlie Chaplin film and shows a woman in the background walking while appearing to talk on a cell phone. Was she a time traveler, or was she just holding her hand up to her face as she passed in front of the camera?

And who could forget the photo of a 19th-century man who looks uncannily like actor Nicolas Cage? While some speculate that Cage is a time traveler , others joked that he might be a vampire. Cage has denied both rumors.

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October 22, 23

Video from 1938 showing 'time-traveler' using a cell phone has been explained

vt-author-image

By stefan armitage

In an era where everybody is glued to their cell phones and conspiracy theories run wild, footage recorded back in 1938 has set the internet abuzz, raising questions about the possibility of time travel.

The video, shared by the YouTube user ScoopView, captures a monochromatic scene from the past. Amidst a crowd, one young woman in particular stands out to modern viewers.

As she walks towards the camera, she seems to be engrossed in conversation, holding an object close to her ear, eerily resembling a modern-day cell phone.

As the brief clip concludes, a clearer view of this object intensifies the mystery. The description that accompanies the YouTube video stirs the pot further, suggesting the clip depicts a "Time Traveler in 1938 film caught talking on a cell phone in 1938 [coming] out of a Dupont Factory in Massachusetts."

Check out the video below:

However, things took an even more intriguing turn when another YouTube user, Planetcheck, claimed that the woman in question was actually his great-grandmother. "[She] was 17 years old. I asked her about this video and she remembers it quite clearly. She says Dupont had a telephone communications section in the factory," Planetcheck wrote in the comments section.

Per The Mirror , the YouTube user claimed that his great-grandmother - named Gertrude Jones - was part of an experimental mobile phone test conducted by industrial giant Dupont. "Gertrude and five other women were given these wireless phones to test out for a week," they continued. "Gertrude is talking to one of the scientists holding another wireless phone who is off to her right as she walks by."

However, another YouTuber who questioned if the woman was a time traveler also shared the clip, but claimed that the footage was filmed in 1938 at the Massena New York Aluminum Company of America.

size-large wp-image-1263233661

As riveting as the theory is, experts and enthusiasts alike are skeptical. David Mikkelson, known for debunking online myths and founder of fact-checking site Snopes.com, spoke to The Huffington Post about the footage. "You can take any piece of WWII footage showing someone holding something to the side of their head talking, and claim it is a time-traveling cell phone user," he explained, emphasizing the limitations of film resolution.

Mikkelson theorized that the item could be anything from a handkerchief to a hearing aid.

"And this video is silent, so you can't even tell if the person is engaged in a two-way conversation," Mikkelson added.

The myth-busting expert also contradicted Planetcheck's story that the woman in the video was their great-grandmother, saying: "I doubt it would have just been handed out to a young woman working at the factory. And why isn't there documentation?"

The majority of YouTube comments seem to echo Mikkelson's sentiment. Several users theorized it might be a "hearing aid" or "prototype radio receiver". One discerning user humorously quipped: "If it really was a phone, I would be more curious about how she managed to get a signal from a non-existent network provider."

Which, is another incredibly good point.

So, although the notion of time travel has always fascinated us, let's not jump to conclusions about old videos on YouTube and remember: Not everything that glitters is gold... or in this case, a cell phone.

Featured image credit: YouTube

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Old News, Vintage Photos & Nostalgic Stories

Is this wwii-era photo proof of time travel social media users think so.

  • Strangeness

Photo Credit: Komond / Universal Studios / MovieStillsDB

While the concept of time travel is exciting and entertaining, its feasibility has never been proven – until now. According to a number of social media users, a now-viral photo dating back to 1943 possibly shows that the adventures of Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown in Back to the Future (1985) may have some truth to them.

Is this man holding a cell phone?

The vintage photo in question, taken in Reykjavik, Iceland, was first posted in 2016, but has only recently gained traction online. As social media users have pointed out, it appears as though a man in the background is talking on a cell phone, exactly 30 years before the technology even existed!

Even more strange, the individual appears to be the only person looking directly at the camera, as if he’s staring right at the person taking the photo. He’s also not dressed the same as others in the picture, who are all men wearing World War II -era military uniforms.

Some say this guy is a time traveler. This photo was taken in the 1940s. Is he on his cell phone? pic.twitter.com/YmlZQK9aN5 — Bill Hartzer (@bhartzer) November 18, 2022

Some on social media are convinced the photo shows a real-life time traveler caught in the act. However, the poor image quality makes it difficult to zoom in and see what exactly he’s holding up to his head, if he’s holding anything at all!

Other time travelers have been seen with similar ‘cell phones’

Another cell phone time travel post captivated the internet in 2012, and it still has skeptics and believers alike confused. The 1938 video in question shows a woman holding what looks to be a mobile phone up to her ear.

Soon after the clip went viral, a man claiming to be the woman’s grandson revealed he’d asked her what she was holding. She told him that the factory she worked for at the time manufactured telephones. On that day, she claimed she was given a prototype for a new wireless device as she was leaving for the day.

David Mikkelson, the founder of Snopes , a website specializing in analyzing internet conspiracies, told The Huffington Post he couldn’t find any documentation to support the wireless phone story, nor could he provide another explanation for the video.

“You can take any piece of WWII footage showing someone holding something to the side of their head talking, and claim it is a time-traveling cell phone user,” he said. “Film clips aren’t of sufficient resolution to see what the people are carrying. It could be anything from a handkerchief to a hearing aid, or who knows what. And this video is silent, so you can’t even tell if the person is engaged in a two-way conversation.”

More from us: The Bizarre True Story of the Man Who Never Laid Eyes on a Woman

This certainly isn’t the first discussion of time travel to take over the internet, and it won’t be the last! Are these pieces of media proof time travel is real? We’ll have to wait and see.

Eagle-eyed Twitter users spot ‘time traveller’ in 1940s World War II photo

A COLOURISED photo from the 1940s posted online has sent Twitter into a frenzy after eagle-eyed users spotted one very interesting detail.

These people claim to be Time Travellers

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BEWILDERED Twitter users claim to have clocked a “time traveller” in a 1940s beach photo … using a mobile phone.

According to The Sun, the sci-fi man in a scruffy brown suit can clearly be seen in the middle of the photo, taken during the World War II, peering into something that looks like a phone.

But the perplexing picture, taken in September 1943, was photographed a full 30 years before mobiles were invented.

The spooky image showing Towan Beach, Cornwall, was posted online by Stuart Humphryes, who initially didn’t spot the man out of time.

British war workers escape to the seaside - this Cornish beach was photographed in September 1943. (It would be lovely if one of you were able to identify which beach!) ❤️ pic.twitter.com/BpLyuwSb8z — BabelColour 🎞 (@StuartHumphryes) September 30, 2018

He tweeted: “British war workers escape to the seaside — this Cornish beach was photographed in September 1943.”

But as soon as he shared the seaside shot, Twitter users pointed out the texting time traveller in the centre of the photo.

A man and his … iPhone? Picture: Twitter

Getting the date wrong, South London History replied: “Er … is it just me or is this guy checking his phone…..in the 1950s?”

Dr Kevin Purcell added: “Good catch. It’s clearly the man in the shot is a time travelling tourist checking his mobile device.

“Finally the evidence we need that time travel is real.

Good catch. It’s clearly the man in the shot is a time travelling tourist checking his mobile device. Finally the evidence we need that time travel is real. 😃 We now see things in old photos that we missed before but know we know they’re phones now that we have them! 🤔 — Dr Kevin Purcell (@kevinpurcell) October 1, 2018

Gerald Jackson added: “Shows how much beachwear has changed!

“Jacket, tie and hat? Mind they did that when I was a kid in the 50s.”

But Mr Humphryes wasn’t convinced, saying: “I think that chap is rolling a cigarette!”

It’s not the first time eagle-eyed photo buffs have spotted creepily modern devices in grainy old snaps and film footage.

In 2010 a phone user was caught in an old Charlie Chaplin film and was dubbed a time traveller by those who watched it.

George Clarke, a Belfast filmmaker, saw the eerie sight and posted the clip to YouTube.

And earlier this year, a man claiming to be a time traveller on a mission from the year 6491 passed a lie-detector test after warning humanity about Yellowstone volcano in the United States.

He was hot on the heels of Alexander Smith , who told radio DJs about humans dating robots and flying cars in the year 2118, which he claims he was sent to by the CIA.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and has been reproduced here with permission.

When a healthy mum got so tired she couldn’t get out of bed, major alarm bells rang. She had no idea something was lurking “inside” her.

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David Briscoe fooled the US media by claiming he was a hero teacher at a school shooting. But one local reporter exposed the truth.

time travel cell phone photo

Does a Photograph Capture a Time-Traveling Hipster?

An intriguing photograph from the 1940s purportedly documents an obviously out-of-place time-traveler., published feb. 22, 2015.

False

About this rating

A photograph supposedly showing a "time-traveling hipster" has been circulating on the Internet since at least 2010:

Although the image in question is real and unaltered, the man singled out in the picture for his supposedly unusual appearance is not a time traveler.

The image was first made available to the public in 2004 when it was featured in the Barlorne-Pioneer Museum's exhibit "Their Past Lives Here." The photograph was taken in 1941 at the reopening of the South Fork Bridge in Canada, and when the museum digitized and placed online the collection that included this picture in 2010, some Internet users noted that a man in the photograph appeared to be dressed far too modern for 1940:

Web sites such as Fark , BoingBoing , and Forgetomori picked up on the phenomenon and republished the image with headlines such as "Time traveler caught in 1940 photo?"

The idea that the man in the photograph is a time traveler hinges on three items he is seen wearing or holding that appear to be of too modern a vintage for the 1940s: a logo t-shirt, a small portable camera, and wrap-around sunglasses. But all of those items were readily available in the 1940s.

His t-shirt, for instance, bears the logo of the Montreal Maroons, a temporally appropriate hockey team that played in the NHL from 1924-1938:

Glasses with protective side shields were also available in the 1940s. While this style of eyewear was not yet widespread, it is more plausible that the photograph shows a man of his time with unusual fashion sense rather than a time traveler:

The final nail in this time traveler's coffin comes to us courtesy of Kodak. While many viewers assumed that the camera that the man is shown holding is simply too small to have existed in the 1940s, Kodak did in fact make several portable cameras that were available in 1941, such as the following:

The man in the image may look out of place at first glance, but nothing about his appearance was impossible for the time the photograph was taken.

By Dan Evon

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.

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Conspiracy theorists spot ‘time traveler using mobile phone’ in 1940s photo during World War II

(Credit: iStock)

(Credit: iStock) (iStock)

Bewildered Twitter users claim to have clocked a "time traveler" in a 1940s beach photo... using a MOBILE.

The sci-fi fella in a scruffy brown suit can clearly be seen in the middle of the snap, taken during the Second World War, peering into something that looks like a phone.

But the perplexing picture, taken in September 1943, was photographed a full 30 years before mobiles were invented.

CLICK ON THE SUN FOR MORE

The spooky image showing Towan Beach, Cornwall, was posted online by Stuart Humphryes, who initially didn’t spot the man out of time.

He tweeted: “British war workers escape to the seaside - this Cornish beach was photographed in September 1943."

But as soon as he shared the seaside shot, Twitter users pointed out the texting time traveler in the center of the photo.

Getting the date wrong, South London History replied: “Er...is it just me or is this guy checking his phone…..in the 1950s?”

Dr. Kevin Purcell added: “Good catch. It’s clearly the man in the shot is a time-traveling tourist checking his mobile device.

“Finally the evidence we need that time travel is real.

Gerald Jackson added: “Shows how much beachwear has changed!

“Jacket, tie, and hat? Mind they did that when I was a kid in the 50s.”

But Mr. Humphryes wasn’t convinced, saying: “I think that chap is rolling a cigarette!”

It’s not the first time eagle-eyed photo buffs have spotted creepily modern devices in grainy old snaps and film footage.

In 2010 a phone user was caught in an old Charlie Chaplin film and was  dubbed a time traveler  by those who watched it.

George Clarke, a Belfast filmmaker, saw the eerie sight and posted the clip to YouTube.

And earlier this year, a man claiming to be a time traveler on a mission from the year 6491  passed a lie detector test  after warning humanity about Yellowstone volcano in the United States.

He was hot on the heels  Alexander Smith , who told radio DJs about humans dating robots and flying cars in the year 2118, which he claims he was sent to by the CIA.

This story originally appeared in The Sun .

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time travel cell phone photo

Iceland Mag

time travel cell phone photo

Time traveller spotted among GIs in WWII Reykjavík?

By Staff | Nov 29 2016

The suspected time traveller It seems the man in the center is speaking into some sort of handheld device, a phone or StarTrek Communicator. Photo/ Facebook group Gamlar Ljósmyndi r

A photograph depicting a scene from downtown Reykjavík in 1943, showing a crowd of locals and GI's walking along the sidewalk in Austurstræti (which was a street back in the 40s but has since been turned into a square) has been making the rounds on Icelandic social media in the past few days. The photographs seems to show a man speaking into a cell phone, a sure sign, some believe that time-travellers have visited Iceland in the past.

Read more:  Watch: What did the “bleak outpost” of Reykjavík look like in WWII? 

Time traveller? Surrounded by GI's, the man blends in with the locals. Photo/Facebook, Gamlar ljósmyndir

The  photograph is taken on the corner of Lækjargata and Austurstræti streets. The group of GIs in the right corner stands in front of a Taxi-station which has since been torn down, but the suspected time-traveller is standing by the window of what is today Nordic Store, a clothing and gift shop. In 1943 the locale housed, appropriately, a watchmaker. 

The photograph was shared to the Facebook group Gamlar ljósmyndir, or "Old Photographs" by Kristján Hoffmann. The photograph, which has been in the possession of Kristján's family for decades, is shot in 1943, at the height of WWII. It clearly shows that the city had clearly been overtaken by the Allied troops, and as Kristján pointed out on Facebook: "The US military had clearly overshadowed Icelandic elegance..." However, one of the men in the photo, who appears at first glance as a local worker, but at closer inspection looks more like a time-traveller speaking into a mobile phone of some sort.

The photograph sparked intense discussion on Facebook. Most thought the photo actually proved the mobile phone had either been invented in Iceland or pointed to it as yet another proof that Icelanders are unusually quick to adopt new trends. However, it was not until the former punk-rocker Bubbi Morthens, one of Iceland's most beloved pop-stars, pointed out that the photograph was actually proof of time-travel that local media picked up the story. The local newspaper DV ran the story  asking readers to weigh in on the matter. Only a quarter of those who participated in the poll, however, believed the man was a time traveller. Most seemed to believe he was picking his ear. 

Absent minded local or time travelling adventurer? Well, at least it's fun to study the street fashion! Photo/Facebook, Gamlar ljósmyndir

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World War II 'time traveller' spotted in photo and people are convinced it's from the future

World War II 'time traveller' spotted in photo and people are convinced it's from the future

Once you see it....

Daisy Phillipson

A World War II photo has resurfaced and gone viral as people are convinced it shows a time traveller amongst the crowd.

If time travelling were rea l, you might think the powers that be would want to send a James Bond-esque spy to jump through time and carry out missions.

But, ultimately, you'd want someone who could blend in with the crowd. Someone who's discreet. Someone like this guy:

Can you see it?

Again, if we were to assume this was legit, then the guy in the image totally blew his cover by appearing to use a smartphone – in 1943.

While there's almost definitely a reasonable explanation for it, a selection of internet sleuths are convinced otherwise.

The throwback photo first went viral in 2016 when Facebook user Kristján Hoffmann shared it on the Icelandic group Gamlar ljósmyndir, which translates as 'Old Photographs'.

He described how the captured scene shows the suspicious man amongst deployed US soldiers in Iceland's capital Reykjavik at the height of the Second World War .

"The American army is taking over Icelandic splendour, as you can see," wrote Kristján.

"One thing that draws attention to this beautiful picture is that above the window, in the corner in the middle of the picture, a man is leaning and is on a cell phone ."

Kristján Hoffmann pointed out that the man appears to be using a cell phone.

As well as the high tech device, the Facebook user also pointed out other unusual details of the 'time traveller', including that he's looking directly into the camera.

"I don’t know what to say, I don’t think he’s just talking on the phone," he added.

"He’s in a stupor, standing alone and wearing a different headdress than the others and a scarf and acting like we would do today."

The image has unsurprisingly sparked a debate online, with many siding with Kristján's viewpoint.

"Solid evidence," wrote one on Twitter, while another said, "The first handheld phone was created in 1983 and WW2 happened in 1930s-1940s... that is time travel wtf."

Others, however, aren't convinced.

A number of people pointed out that the phone wouldn't have worked had it been taken back to the 1940s.

There weren't any mobile phone towers back in the day.

"If I traveled 100 years back in time with a cell phone it wouldn't work because even if I had the phone there would be no cell towers to relay the signals," said one.

Several more realistic theories were put forward, with some suggesting the man was scratching his ear, checking his watch or holding onto a pipe.

As for why he was looking into the camera, maybe he was just curious – or perhaps he liked the attention.

In spite of the non-believers, it seems there are still plenty of people who are convinced of the WW2 time traveller's existence.

Topics:  Weird , World War 2 , World News , Viral

Daisy graduated from Kingston University with a degree in Magazine Journalism, writing a thesis on the move from print to digital publishing. Continuing this theme, she has written for a range of online publications including Digital Spy and Little White Lies, with a particular passion for TV and film. Contact her on [email protected]

@ DaisyWebb77

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1940s wartime photo shows proof time travel 'is real' after man spotted with 'phone'

During World War II, mobile phones were still decades away from being invented . But sci-fi loving fans think they might have spotted a time traveller using such a device in an old photo

Reykjavik Iceland 'time traveller' photo

  • 16:44, 17 Nov 2022

There is nothing strange about spotting a smartly-dressed chap chatting on a mobile phone while standing on a busy street corner.

But what if that picture dated back to the 1940s?

Some eagle-eyed history lovers think they might have spotted a man out of time in a photograph of Iceland taken during war-time.

Taken in 1943 in Reykjavik, the country’s capital, the image shows a crowd of locals and US soldiers from the Second World War walking along a packed pavement.

It is not the buttoned-up GIs, however, who have caught people’s attention in the black and white snap.

Instead, it is a light trench coat-wearing gentleman leaning up against a shop window.

Looking like he is staring directly at the camera as people pass around him, the mystery figure has his hand to his ear — taking up the same stance someone speaking directly into a mobile phone would use.

Some social media users have claimed the man could be a time traveller who was making use of his futuristic bit of technology.

Posted on the Facebook group Gamlar ljósmyndir — meaning “old photographs” in Icelandic — by Kristjan Hoffmann, he made light of the image, which harks back more than 80 years.

“One thing that draws attention to this beautiful picture is… in the middle of the picture, a man is leaning and is using GSM [Global System of Mobile Communications]”.

In his 2016 post, Mr Hoffman said the man was “far ahead in technology”.

Other commentators join him in being convinced that the flat cap-wearing fella looks like he is from another era.

One even used a very British sci-fi phenomena to explain what might be happening in the old shot from WWII.

“Dr. Who,” wrote Karolina Petursdottir.

The first handheld mobile phone was the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, which hit the market in 1973 — exactly 30 years after the Icelandic street scene was captured.

Another commenter turned to humour, joking that the photograph was proof that Icelanders had "already invented the mobile phone way before anyone else”.

However, others thought there was a much more mundane explanation for why the smartly-dressed man might have adopted such a position.

“He’s checking if the watch works,” wrote one Facebook group member.

With a scarf around his neck, the man looks to be positioned next to a shop selling or repairing watches, giving credence to the watch theory.

Another suggestion offered was that he was using his tobacco pipe to scratch the back of his ear.

Allied forces took over Iceland in 1940, with British war leader Sir Winston Churchill fearing that Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany would invade and take control of the Northern Atlantic seas.

US troops agreed to defend Iceland, in place of British and Canadian troops, in 1941.

By 1943, when the photo is said to have been taken, around 30,000 Allied troops were said to have been based in Iceland.

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20 Famous Time Traveler Photos & Videos You Must Have Seen

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Time traveling is a mystery yet to solve. It has been one of the most discussed topics in the science fiction industry over the years- both movies and novels. Besides movies and books, some time traveler photos also get revealed from time to time.

In this article

Part 1: is time traveler believable.

Would you believe it if someone tells you that they have visited the past or the future? Well, if you follow science fiction and are a time-travel enthusiast, it might be a possible thing to believe for you. But people, in general, might not find time traveling believable. However, time travel pictures may guide them to the exact opposite belief. Time-traveling seems possible as a person of science due to its correspondence with motions and physics laws. Nevertheless, to this day, time-traveling remains on the verge of being both believable and unbelievable.

Part 2: 10 Famous Time Traveler Photos You Should Know

From time to time, some pictures get viral as time travel photography. Here are 10 such time travel images that you should know about.

1. Greta Thunberg time travel

Greta Thunberg is a young climate activist and environmental heroine. In a 120-year-old picture, there seems to be a girl resembling her. That is where the gossip started. Could Greta Thunberg be a time traveler who traveled through time to save mankind from its uprising climate crisis? Maybe, maybe not. But the 1898 image shows a goldmine operator, ‘Greta Thunberg.’

time traveler photo greta

2. The modern hipster

When you see a picture with someone with a totally different kind of clothing, it must raise the question of whether they are a time traveler. This time travel picture has most people in hats and suits, whereas a man seems to wear sports glasses and modern clothing, like a t-shirt and a sweater.

time traveler photo hipster

3. World Cup 1962

If the football world cup 1962 is not remembered due to the game, it must be remembered due to the time travel image. When the champion team was celebrating with their trophy, the picture shows that a man seems to capture the moment with his cell phone. A cell phone in 1962? That must be time travel.

time traveler photo world cup

4. A cell phone?

A common practice of identifying a picture as time travel pictures are through cell-phone or such modern devices in age-old pictures. Here is another one. It shows a man speaking through his cell phone in a time, which seems to be too advanced for a cell phone.

time traveler photo cell

5. Time traveler skips town?

This was actually the heading of the news in a newspaper. Andrew Carlssin, a self-proclaimed time traveler, was jailed for insider-trading charges. He claimed to be from the year 2256. More to the amusement, he just vanished from inside the cell.

time traveler photo skip town

6. Another cell phone?

Here is another picture that could be one of the time travel pictures involving a cell phone. But this time, it is a woman with a cell phone. The photograph was captured from behind the scenes of a movie of Charlie Chaplin.

time traveler photo chaplin

7. An astronaut in the 1600s?

Space travel was introduced only a few decades back. But what if you see pictures that tell otherwise? Here is the picture of a sculpture on the wall of a church building. The building was built in the 1600s-1800s. So when the sculpture is that of an astronaut, it is pretty weird.

time traveler photo astronaut

8. The same tattoo?

This is another self-proclaimed case of time traveling. A man from Sweden claims that he has traveled to the future through a time travel portal from under his sink. The claim even includes a photograph, which shows two hands with the same tattoo. The man claimed that he had taken a picture of the tattoo of his future self, and that was it. It could be better if he took an image of his future version.

time traveler photo tattoo

9. A time travel ad!

In 1997, a newspaper clipping got viral, which had an advertisement for time traveling in it. The ad owner was looking for someone who could go back in time with them. The movie, Safety Not Guaranteed, was created based on this event.

time traveler photo ad

10. John Titor time machine photos

Now comes some photos of a claimed-to-be time machine. John Titor designed the machine. He is known as the most famous time traveler across the world. His predictions were quite vague. However, they were pretty specific, making it a plausible explanation for time travel.

time traveler photo machine

Part 3: Top 10 Time Traveler Videos

Here are some of the videos that stand for time travel and teleportation.

1. Time traveler caught on camera

If you were a time traveler, you would never want others to find out. The man didn’t want to either, as it seems from the footage. However, the camera caught him trying to do so. Watch time traveler video here.

2. The Charlie Chaplin movie

The scene was caught behind the scenes from a Charlie Chaplin movie. A woman was seen walking with a cell phone in her ear. It may not seem anything weird as for today, but it was pretty awkward for that time.

See Charlie Chaplin movie here.

3. Same tattoo from the future self

Previously, we have shown the time travel picture of two hands with the same tattoo, which was claimed to be the person with his future self. Here is the video footage of the person describing the whole claim. Let’s see if we can believe the theory.

4. Vonhelton

There are only a few instances where time traveling is thought to be really real. It is one of those instances. Vonhelton claims that he has traveled through both time and space. He even shows specific pictures of himself being in England in 1857, France in 1916, and Germany in 1945. Let’s give in to imagination for the rest.

5. A Cell-phone time travel video

The film goes back to 1938. It shows a woman who seems to be talking on a cell phone or a similar device. One thing is for sure, no such devices were available at that time.

6. The Mike Tyson Fight

We all know that smartphones weren’t available until recently. However, the time travel video shows something different. It was a fight between Mcneely and Mike Tyson, and one of the audience seems to bring a smartphone and take pictures. Quite a time travel, right?

7. The time traveler biker

The footage shows a biker riding his bike. After a while, he just disappears from the footage into something that seems to be a flash of light.

8. Lost in the troops

The incident took place in Russia. On March 19, a person appears on the train platform wearing the same military dress as in the 1940s. He claims that he got lost with the troops. He also carries an ID card that was issued in 1930.

9. Cell-phone aging over 800 years

A few years back, some researchers unearthed a cell-phone-like ancient structure, which is supposed to be from 800 years back. The interesting fact is that the cell phone resembles a Nokia phone to quite a great extent. This raises the question of whether the cell phone is really from another civilization or a time travel.

10. Future, revealing time traveler

A person named Noah claims to have visited the future. He also shows a video that is claimed to be from the future. Nevertheless, Noah predicts some future incidents for the Philippines, what he claims to be prophecy.

If time travel is really possible remains a question till the day. Whether it is true or not, we see some pieces of evidence of it from time to time through time traveler photos and videos.

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'Time traveller' spotted 'scrolling on phone' in beach photo from the 1940s

Among the hoards of families relaxing on the sands in Cornwall back in September 1943, there is one man who is being called an imposter

  • 13:45, 4 NOV 2022

'Time traveller' spotted scrolling on phone in beach photo from the 1940s

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People are freaking out over a photo taken in the 1940s which some think shows a man scrolling on an iPhone - proving that time travel is real.

The image shows hundreds of people enjoying a nice day on the beach, but one person in the photo has caught attention for looking like he’s from an entirely different era.

Among the hoards of families relaxing on the sands in Cornwall back in September 1943, there is one man who is being called an imposter.

READ MORE: Unearthed footage from 1938 'proves time travellers exist' as woman is captured 'chatting on phone'

He is dressed in a brown suit and is standing looking at an object in his hand which appears to be a modern-day smartphone - which is obviously far removed from the 1940s.

Social media users sparked a debate over what was preoccupying him and have since nicknamed him the "texting time traveller.”

While some believe this theory to be true, others simply laughed it off and dubbed the concept 'ridiculous,’ insisting he was just rolling a cigarette.

Many remained strong amid the social media debate and insisted the photograph at Towan Beach, Newquay provided evidence "that time travel is real.”

One comment read: "Er...is it just me or is this guy checking his phone…..in the 1940s?"

Another responded: "Shows how much beachwear has changed! Jacket, tie and hat? Mind they did that when I was a kid in the 50s."

'Time traveller' spotted scrolling on phone in beach photo from the 1940s

A third added: "Good catch. It’s clearly the man in the shot is a time travelling tourist checking his mobile device.

"Finally the evidence we need that time travel is real."

But the theory was rebuffed by one user who said: "I think that chap is rolling a cigarette!"

This isn’t the first historic image to have caused a stir among time travel believers in recent weeks.

The Mirror reported on unearthed footage from 1938 which offered ‘proof’ that time travel was real, according to some commentators.

In the clip of people walking toward the camera, one young woman can be seen holding something to the side of her head.

Conspiracy theorists claimed the woman had been caught on film chatting on a mobile phone, decades before the technology was invented.

The woman can be seen chatting as she walks in the crowd of people, with the device clamped to the side of her head with one hand. She then lowers it before the film clip ends.

As the woman, dressed in a stylish 30s dress, lowers the object from her ear, it can be seen as a dark hand-sized item; the same dimensions as a modern mobile phone.

The mystery deepens when one YouTuber came forward claiming the woman in the shot was their great-grandmother, and she was in fact using a mobile phone.

According to YouTube user Planetcheck, the divide is an experimental wireless phone developed by industrial giant Dupont at their factory in Leominster, Massachusetts.

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The 'time traveler' who is 'using a cell phone' in a Charlie Chaplin film: 5 alternate theories

An Irish filmmaker claims to have found an anachronistic cell phone user in a classic 1928 silent film. Commentators beg to differ...

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The mysterious woman walks down a street during a 1928 Charlie Chaplin movie premiere: What's in her hand?

The video: An Irish filmmaker claims to have discovered proof of time travel: George Clarke says that, while watching the DVD version of Charlie Chaplin's 1928 film The Circus , he spotted a mysterious woman chatting on a cell phone in the disc's "extra footage . " (Watch Clarke's wildly popular YouTube explanation below.) The woman, filmed while attending the movie's premiere, appears to be speaking into an object held up to her ear some 45 years before Motorola unveiled the first cell phone in 1973. "The only conclusion that I can come to... sounds absolutely ridiculous," says Clarke. "It's a time traveler." Unsurprisingly not everyone agrees. Here are five alternate theories:

1) It's a hearing aid: The most plausible explanation is that the woman is holding a "big, clunky, old-fashioned, carbon-amplified hearing aid," says Robert Quigley at Geekosystem . The device patented by Siemens in 1924 had to be held to the face, much as a cell phone is today.

2) It's a hoax: Some YouTube users have suggested the shot was digitally inserted into the DVD extras by "a post-production whiz having some fun," says Joal Ryan at E! Online .

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3) The woman is merely sensitive or publicity shy: "Perhaps she's holding her hand up to her ear to shield the sun from her eyes," says Suzanne Choney at MSNBC , or to avoid the "camera's gaze."

4) She's adjusting her hat: "If you watch closely she eventually starts to put her hand back down and... it looks like there isn't actually anything in her fist at all," says Jen Chaney at The Washington Post .

5) She's crazy: Maybe she's a "crazy woman who uses a piece of wood to talk to her dead husband," says Monica Bartyzel at Cinematical . And besides: Even if she was a time-traveler with a cell phone, "how would she get reception?"

Watch Clarke's video here (The 1928 footage begins at about 2:30):

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These are the new apple products launching this fall 2024.

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We’re just one month away from fall, and the kickoff of Apple’s major product launch season. Summer has been quiet for new products, but Apple is gearing up for a big fall 2024 starting with its iPhone 16 event in September.

Here are all the new Apple products launching this fall.

iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max

time travel cell phone photo

The flagship iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are set to offer big upgrades over last year’s models. Here’s the expected highlights list:

  • larger displays than ever , at 6.3 inches for the Pro model and 6.9 inches on the Pro Max, up from last year’s 6.1 and 6.7
  • a dedicated hardware button for controlling the camera
  • camera upgrades that include a better Ultra Wide camera, improved low light performance, and a 5x optical zoom
  • A18 Pro chip built for AI thanks to its supercharged Neural Engine

iPhone 16 and 16 Plus

iPhone 16 production now in full flow | 9to5Mac render

Unlike the Pro versions, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will have the same display sizes as last year’s models. In a change from recent history though, the 16 and 16 Plus may receive the same A18 Pro chip found in the Pro and Pro Max models. Or perhaps, for the first time, we’ll see two new iPhone chips debut: an A18 for the lower end models, and the A18 Pro in the high-end. Another feature expected to come to all 16 models is the hardware button for camera features, often called the ‘capture button.’ Expect other camera improvements and new color options for the standard 16 and 16 Plus, with iOS 18’s AI features billed as a main selling point .

time travel cell phone photo

Apple is planning to launch not one, but two separate tiers of AirPods 4 models. These two models will provide a lower priced version and a more premium option, with both the AirPods 2 and 3 expected to be removed from Apple’s lineup. Both AirPods 4 models will feature USB-C charging cases and an updated stem design that looks like a blend between AirPods Pro and AirPods 3. Noise cancellation is said to be exclusive to the higher-end model, as well as Find My support.

AirPods Max 2

AirPods Max

At long last, AirPods Max are set to receive an update this fall . AirPods Max 2 will switch from Lightning to USB-C charging, and will likely gain several of the features currently exclusive to AirPods Pro 2 , such as Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and Personalized Audio.

Apple Watch Series 7 vs 9 Display

Apple is going big with the new Apple Watch Series 10, with the two standard sizes both being increased. The smaller Watch will be about the size of the current larger model, while the larger option grows to match the Ultra’s screen size. The device’s case is also slimming down, and it will boast a more powerful chip that could lay the groundwork for Apple Intelligence in the future. Health sensors for detecting hypertension and sleep apnea are also possibilities.

Apple Watch Ultra 3

time travel cell phone photo

Apple Watch Ultra has proven a hit for the company, with annual updates offered since its 2022 debut. Not much is known about this year’s Apple Watch Ultra 3. It is certain to at least match the new capabilities of the Series 10 models, including a faster chip that’s better equipped for AI. We may get new health sensors too. One selling point that would excite lots of buyers is a space black titanium option.

M4 MacBook Pro

OLED MacBook Pro launch 2026 | 2023 models shown

The iPad Pro’s exclusive run as the only Apple device with an M4 chip is coming to an end soon. This fall Apple is expected to ship new MacBook Pro models that feature the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max. Don’t expect a major redesign of the computers’ form factor, with the M4 being the highlight this year.

iPad mini 7

Apple foldable – iPhone or iPad mini (shown)

The iPad mini hasn’t been updated since 2021, but that drought seems set to end soon. Following an iPad-free 2023, Apple plans to update its entire lineup this year, including the mini. Expect to see an upgraded display with no more jelly scrolling and a revised chip. Perhaps the iPad mini will even move to an M-class chip for compatibility with Apple Intelligence features .

iPad 11th gen

time travel cell phone photo

To complete its mission of updating the full iPad lineup this year, Apple will also ship a new base-model iPad. Little is known about this new device, but expect a newer, more powerful chip for sure. Perhaps some Apple Pencil enhancements too. But nothing in the way of a major hardware redesign.

M4 Mac mini with major redesign

smaller Mac mini concept

Apple has big—or should I say small—plans for this year’s Mac mini update. The new Mac mini will gain the M4 chip, with an M4 Pro option coming too. But the more substantial news is that the product is getting a major hardware redesign . The new mini will reportedly be drastically smaller, closer in size to the existing Apple TV 4K.

M3 iMac

Apple is also expected to launch M4 iMacs before 2024 ends. Unlike the Mac mini, the new iMac isn’t expected to receive a redesign or any other significant new features. Here’s hoping we’ll at least get USB-C accessories this time around.

Wild Cards: Apple TV 4K, HomePod with display, and more

There have been rumors off and on about new home devices in the works at Apple, possibly with a 2024 release date. One is an updated Apple TV 4K with a better chip, another is a HomePod revision with an LCD display on top. Neither update is likely to make waves, nor will they bring Apple Intelligence compatibility. We’ll have to wait and see what Apple has in store.

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Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

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iPhone 16

Ryan got his start in journalism as an Editor at MacStories, where he worked for four years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which focused entirely on the iPad. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.

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Gen z ditching smartphones for point and shoot cameras as vintage tech makes a comeback: ‘gives off a certain vibe’.

It’s giving old school.

Gen Z shutterbugs are turning their back on smartphones — and picking up their parents’ point and shoot cameras instead.

The latest and hottest phone photo tech is losing its cool at a time when the younger crowd finds itself increasingly fascinated by all things vintage — from thrifted clothing and consignment designer gear to vinyl records and cassette tapes .

Megan Rapinoe with pink hair, using a disposable camera before the women's soccer gold medal match at the 2024 Paris Olympics

“Everyone’s photos kind of look the same on social media and have for many years, even with quality improving with every iPhone,” Courtney June, 24, told Fast Company .

“A camera from 2007 gives off a certain vibe that something like an iPhone can’t produce,” the digital camera fan from Pennsylvania said.

At the Paris Olympics, soccer star Megan Rapinoe was seen snapping pics with a disposable camera in the stands, while model Alexa Chung recently showed off her point and shoot on Instagram.

“It” girls Bella Hadid and Emma Chamberlain are also proponents of the retro tech, while “The Bear” star Ayo Edebiri brought hers to the Emmys.

Even on TikTok, creators laud digital cameras — like the Canon G7X — as superior to the iPhone, as influencers like Alix Earle have cosigned the trend on their picture perfect social media feeds.

Bella Hadid holding a vintage digital camera

In fact, some models are so popular that they haven’t been available to purchase for months, forcing Zoomers to scour secondhand sites to find one.

And the point and shoot obsession has also spurred a film frenzy.

The Guardian reports that Kodak saw demand for film double in recent years, while Harman, the only UK manufacturer of 35 mm film, announced a multi-million dollar investment into new product as the camera craze surges.

time travel cell phone photo

And, this summer, the Pentax 17 was released — the first 35mm film camera to be produced by a major company in more than two decades.

According to Paul McKay, the co-founder of the UK-based film product distributor Analogue Wonderland, Pentax “had to bring engineers back out of retirement … to teach younger engineers,” he told the outlet.

In the age of rapidly developing technology — namely, photography equipment created to produce sharp, vibrant and essentially flawless images — it seems contradictory to painstakingly develop grainy film or snap imperfect pictures.

But that’s part of the allure.

Asian female student touring city streets with a retro camera

“Even the mistakes are romantic — the light leaks on the first few frames of a new roll, red-eye and grain,” Emily Dinsdale, the arts and photography editor at Dazed, told The Guardian .

With the proliferation of AI-generated or deceivingly altered images , she believes that people trust film camera more than digital art.

“It comes back to the idea of pictures on our phones not being as special as pictures taken on film,” she said, adding that “digital photography and smartphones have really changed the currency of images.”

In a recent survey conducted by McKay he found that the most common reason for ditching digital entirely was that it allowed the person behind the camera to slow down.

“There’s a mindfulness ,” he explained. “People talk about mental health a lot in this generation when they talk about film photography.”

Megan Rapinoe with pink hair, using a disposable camera before the women's soccer gold medal match at the 2024 Paris Olympics

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How to take a stunning photo of the Milky Way with your smartphone: a beginner's guide

Science How to take a stunning photo of the Milky Way with your smartphone: a beginner's guide

The Milky Way galaxy in the night sky above a lit-up rock.

In just 30 seconds I captured the core of our galaxy, the Milky Way, glowing brightly behind a dark wispy haze of cosmic dust.

Deep inside that glow lies a supermassive black hole 4 million times the mass of our Sun.

And stretching out on either side is a smattering of stars: pinpricks of photons that may have travelled millennia before reaching Earth.

It's a stunning shot, but it wasn't taken with a telescope or fancy camera.

I used my smartphone. And it's not even a top-of-the-line one.

The centre of the Milky Way.

It was a chilly winter evening outside Cohuna, Victoria, on Barapa Barapa country, where astrophotographer Shayne Mostyn showed me the ropes.

He has taken many first-timers like me out for smartphone astrophotography workshops, and says everyone reacts in wonder when they snap their first photo of the Milky Way.

"It would be pitch black and then all their faces would start lighting up … and you could hear the whole group go 'wow!'"

Winter in Australia is the best time to take wow-worthy photos of the Milky Way. The cold, crisp night air holds less water vapour than it does during the warmer, more humid summer, so skies at the moment look particularly clear.

And Earth's current position on its orbit around the Sun means we can now look into the heart of our galaxy at night.

Smartphones, with their wide field of view, are ideal for taking photos of big celestial objects such as the Milky Way.

This is how a beginner like me took these photos.

Smartphone astrophotography basics

First up, the obvious: you need a smartphone .

I won't go into step-by-step set-up details for each make and model — you can look that up online — but you might be surprised at what your phone can do.

And there are a few things to keep in mind, regardless of the phone you use.

For most, Shane says, the camera app that comes with the phone is fine. They usually come with a night mode, which lets you shoot a longer exposure time than a daytime snap, and lets you capture all those tiny dots of starlight.

Some models have special astrophotography settings that let you increase exposure time. Others automatically realign the stars so you don't end up with star trails, where the stars look like streaks in the sky.

But even if you don't have these options, you can still snap fab photos.

I used an iPhone 14 and its default camera app.

The other piece of must-have equipment is a tripod . This is not negotiable, and is necessary regardless of the phone you use.

For some phones, the long-exposure option only becomes available when your phone is held completely still in a tripod.

It doesn't have to be expensive either. Just needs to be able to point the phone in a bunch of different directions and hold it still.

Third: you need a dark, clear sky . This means as little light pollution as possible, so get away from towns which might light up the horizon.

Online light pollution maps can help you find suitably dark skies.

Also choose a night when the Moon is either absent or a tiny crescent, otherwise it's like a giant spotlight that washes out the stars.

And … that's it. Put your phone on the tripod, open the camera app, point it towards the most star-packed part of the sky, and hit the shutter button.

"That's how good the tech is in these things — you set it up under a dark sky, hit the shutter, then wait," Shayne says.

"It's not rocket science."

#ABCmyphoto does the night sky Are you a keen to give this a go? Show us your best shots and you could be featured in a special Science Week Picture of the Week gallery. Use #ABCmyphoto on Instagram or tag @abcaustralia , or upload your photos here and show us what the night sky looks like in your part of the world!

Time to experiment

Once you have the basics down pat, start experimenting with what's around you.

The best astrophotos usually feature the landscape in the image too, Melbourne astrophotographer Markus Stone says.

"An old hut on a hiking trail, a lake at a campground reflecting the stars above, or even a friend's house in the sticks can all be great subjects, as long as it's fairly dark."

Timing a shot when the galactic core is not too high above the horizon, or tilting a lowered tripod to look up at an object, can create dramatic silhouettes against the Milky Way backdrop.

A woman wearing a puffer jacket, green beanie and green backpack crouches in front of a smartphone on a tripod outside at night.

Then there's "light painting", which illuminates objects in the foreground of a photo.

For this, you'll need another piece of equipment: a torch.

As a photo is being taken, briefly shine a light on the objects you wish to have illuminated in the final image.

A composite image of a rock silhouetted against the Milky Way, and the same rock lit up.

A second or less is usually all you need, and diffuse light tends to give better results than a spotlight-like torch. Shayne uses a palm-sized panel of LED lights which can be adjusted for brightness and warmth.

He also recommends setting up your shot to have the Milky Way's tail "pointing" at an object.

The Milky Way galaxy in the night sky, with a fence post, red dirt and dry grass illuminated in the foreground.

In winter, as the Earth spins, the Milky Way appears to rise in the evening and move across the sky during the night.

So if you don't want to stand outside all night, there are apps that let you plan your astrophotography excursion to make sure you're in the right place at the right time.

Those apps can also help you include other items of interest, such as the International Space Station traversing the sky.

Editing and extras

As this is a beginner's guide, I won't go into much more detail. But after getting the perfect shot — or shots — you might want to dip your toe in editing.

Apps can let you:

  • stitch photos together to make a panorama
  • remove haze and noise
  • increase clarity
  • adjust colour, exposure, contrast etc

To get an extra-wide-field view, you can buy lenses to put over your phone lens, but, Shayne says, this starts moving away from the simplicity of a smartphone-plus-tripod (and maybe torch) set-up.

And when should you invest in more gear, such as actual, proper cameras?

"[Using a smartphone] is a way to dip your toe in the water to see if you want to do astrophotography," Shayne says.

"It's the easiest and cheapest way to do it because you probably already have the phone.

"I tell people if you're happy to get out here at 2 o'clock in the morning, multiple times through the week, and then do it again next week, and then do it again next month and so forth, then go ahead and upgrade."

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time travel cell phone photo

Fact Check: 1938 Video Clip Allegedly Shows Female 'Time Traveler' Talking on Cellphone Before the Technology Existed

Video captured in 1938 shows a female "time traveler" talking on a cellphone.

Miscaptioned ( About this rating? )

At least since 2013, a video has circulated online, allegedly showing a female "time traveler" in 1938 talking on a cellphone. "Time Traveler in 1938 film caught talking on a cell phone in 1938 comming out of a Dupont Factory in Massachusetts," one description of the video on YouTube read.

"This was filmed in 1938 at the massena new york aluminum company of america plant at the office," another YouTube channel  captioned it . "Sorry John, Your info is incorrect. This the the Dupont plant in Leominster, MA in Oct. 1938. The woman is holding a cigarette case," one user commented, while the original poster of the video replied "this was an april fools joke video i made a few years ago for massena that ended up getting lots of views."

The video and "time traveler" claim spread on other social media platforms as well, including  Facebook  and TikTok . 

But while the video itself is demonstrably authentic — that is to say, real and unaltered — the captions on posts suggesting someone in it was using a cellphone decades before the technology existed are false.

The footage truly is from 1938. It was featured in a  video  titled, "Leominster 1938 Film Supplemental Footage," uploaded in 2017 by the Leominster Access Television YouTube channel (the "cellphone" is visible around the 00:40 mark):

In the video, a woman does briefly seem to be holding a device strikingly similar to a modern cellphone next to her ear, sparking fanciful theories that she was a "time traveler." The video's poor visual quality and lack of sound make it impossible to conclusively determine what the woman was holding or doing at the time of the filming.

Some social media users ventured other explanations that didn't rely on time travel, even citing actual technology available in the 1930s. "It's a Siemens hearing instrument , patented in 1924 or a Western Electric Model 34A Audiphone Carbon Hearing Aid ," one YouTube user commented, for instance.

Others simply resorted to different anachronisms, such as the respondent who wrote, "In those days, small portable radios were very common. She's holding it to her ear to hear the program better because they are outside in a crowd. You could also see how she is at the same time in an active conversation with the two women to her left (our right) talking about what they're listening to." In point of fact, small portable radios didn't exist in 1938.

Or the woman in the clip could have been holding a small purse or a cigarette case, some suggested. Additionally, users highlighted that the use of a cellphone in the 1930s would be impossible due to the absence of necessary cellular infrastructure, such as transceiver relay towers.

A 2013 Daily Mail  article  with the lengthy title, "Is this the world's first cell phone? Film from 1938 shows a woman talking on a wireless device... but it is not 'time travel' family say to the disappointment of conspiracy theorists," informed readers that a YouTube account called Planetcheck claimed the woman in the video was Gertrude Jones, the YouTube user's great-grandmother. The article read:

But in recent days a user called 'planetcheck' has come forward, claiming to have solved the mystery. Planetcheck said: 'The lady you see is my great grandmother Gertrude Jones.' 'She was 17 years old. I asked her about this video and she remembers it quite clearly. She says Dupont had a telephone communications section in the factory.' 'They were experimenting with wireless telephones. Gertrude and five other women were given these wireless phones to test out for a week.' 'Gertrude is talking to one of the scientists holding another wireless phone who is off to her right as she walks by.' So far there has been no independent verification of planetcheck's post, but another YouTube user who says he knows someone else who worked at the factory has vowed to make further inquiries.

However, the user behind Planetcheck remained anonymous and has not provided further evidence to back up the claim. "Although the claims were reported on by a handful of big news outlets, they've never been 100 percent verified, although Planetcheck's version of events seems a whole bunch more plausible than time travel," a UNILAD article on the topic  concluded . 

We have reached out to Dupont via email and will update this article if/when we receive a response.

We have fact-checked several time travel -related claims in the past. For instance, in December 2022, we investigated viral rumors of a visit from time traveler from the year 2036 that have floated online since 2000. Moreover, in April 2016, we fact-checked a video allegedly showing a time-traveling spectator using a camera phone to take photographs at a Mike Tyson fight back in 1995. In February 2015, we debunked a photograph from the 1940s allegedly showing an obviously out-of-place, time-traveling hipster.

Daily. "Was This the World's First Mobile Phone? 1938 Film Shows Woman Talking on a Wireless Device but It Is Not 'time Travel' Family Say to the Disappointment of Conspiracy Theorists." Mail Online , 31 Mar. 2013, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2301996/Was-worlds-mobile-phone-1938-film-shows-woman-talking-wireless-device-time-travel-family-say-disappointment-conspiracy-theorists.html .

Evon, Dan. "Does a Photograph Capture a Time-Traveling Hipster?" Snopes , 23 Feb. 2015, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/time-traveling-hipster/ .

---. "FACT CHECK: Does This Video Capture a Time Traveler at a 1995 Mike Tyson Fight?" Snopes , 30 Apr. 2016, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/mike-tyson-time-traveler/ .

Leominster Access Television. It Happened In Leominster - 1938 Film . 2017. YouTube , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8THwylw5XI .

---. Leominster 1938 Film Supplemental Footage . 2017. YouTube , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53lZVcX-JRw .

Newsroom . https://www.dupont.com/news.html . Accessed 14 May 2024.

Palma, Bethania. "No, This Isn't a Photo of 'Time Traveler' John Titor in 1941." Snopes , 18 Dec. 2022, https://www.snopes.com//articles/464084/time-traveler-john-titor/ .

"Woman Spotted 'chatting on Phone' in 1938 Video That 'Proves Time Travel Exists.'" UNILAD , 2 Nov. 2022, https://www.unilad.com/news/woman-mobile-time-travel-proof-20221102 .

YouTube channel John's Wacky World News

Hurricane Ernesto leaves half of Puerto Rico without power amid flooding: Updates

Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on  Tropical Storm Ernesto  for Wednesday, Aug. 14. For the latest news on  Ernesto  as it moves across the Caribbean, view  USA TODAY's story on the storm for Thursday, Aug. 15 .

Ernesto intensified into a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday as it churned north of Puerto Rico, where it unleashed torrential rain and damaging winds that triggered flash flood warnings and cut power to nearly half the island.

As of 11 p.m. ET, Ernesto had left Puerto Rico well behind and was 175 miles northeast of Grand Turk island, according to the National Hurricane Center . The storm was about 690 miles south-southwest of Bermuda, a British island territory, and moving northwest near 16 mph with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.

Ernesto could become a Category 3 hurricane by Friday before approaching Bermuda on Saturday, according to the NHC. The Bermuda Weather Service issued a hurricane watch.

Forecasters warned of rainfall and flash flooding later in the week with possible hurricane conditions in Bermuda on Saturday. Though Ernesto is expected to remain offshore on the U.S. East Coast, the NHC said swells are forecast to reach the region into the weekend — increasing the risk of life-threatening surf and rip currents.

The storm pummeled Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through much of Wednesday, quickly dumping several inches of rain. All told, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands were in line for widespread rainfall of up to 6 inches, while the total for southeastern Puerto Rico could climb to as much as 8 to 10 inches.

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said the power outages also left more than 200,000 homes and businesses without water.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico, ordering the federal government to assist in local response efforts. Ahead of the storm, officials in Puerto Rico closed government offices, shuttered schools, activated the National Guard, and opened hundreds of shelters.

Forecasters expect Ernesto to drift for a couple of days along the warm waters of the western Atlantic toward Bermuda before eventually developing into a major hurricane and remaining far east of the continental U.S.

Start your day smart: Sign up for USA TODAY's Daily Briefing newsletter.

Ernesto: Track where the storm is heading as it barrels towards Puerto Rico

Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location .

Hundreds of thousands left without power in Puerto Rico

As many as 730,000 utility customers — almost exactly half the total in the U.S. territory — were out of power at one point Wednesday after Ernesto brought tropical storm-level winds and heavy rain to the island of more than 3 million American citizens.

By 8 p.m. ET, the blackouts were down to 649,000, still 44% of homes and businesses, according to LUMA Energy, the operator of Puerto Rico’s power grid. The company serves 1.47 million customers.

"We are on the road to reestablish service," said LUMA President Juan Saca, who did not have an estimate for when that might happen across the island but said 1,500 company employees were working at it. By Wednesday evening, more than 60% of customers still didn't have electricity in four of LUMA's seven regions.

Blackouts have been commonplace in Puerto Rico ever since Hurricane Maria destroyed the power grid in 2017.

In Puerto Rico, mudslides and cows wading through neck-high floodwater

The numerous flash-flood warnings across Puerto Rico for most of Wednesday provided an indication of the soaked landscape left behind by Ernesto, but not nearly as vivid as the sight of cows wading through neck-high water.

That was the image captured on video by El Nuevo Dia , Puerto Rico's leading newspaper, which said rising waters in the Gurabo River − in the east-central part of the island − forced the cows to "fight for their lives."

The newspaper also reported that heavy rains caused mudslides and left some municipalities without drinkable water, and numerous roads throughout the island have become impassable because of flooding and fallen trees or other objects, like power lines. More than 80 medical facilities, including at least 20 hospitals, were running on generators because of the outages, El Nuevo Dia reported.

Temperatures of up to 94 degrees and humidity in the low 80s are forecast for San Juan over the next several days and into next week, making for miserable conditions for the hundreds of thousands without power.

Ernesto knocks out power throughout the US Virgin Islands

Two of the three U.S. Virgin Islands – St. John and St. Croix – were completely in the dark Wednesday as officials worked to restore service in the wake of Ernesto.

Daryl Jaschen, the director of the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency, said in a news conference Wednesday that, in addition to the outages, six cell phone towers were knocked offline across the territory.

U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. in the same news briefing said "the territory is in good shape" but urged residents and tourists not to venture outside as some rain bands continued lashing the islands.

“There’s a lot of branches on the road, there’s a lot of water coming off of hills on all three islands – and there’s sporadic flooding,” he said.

Storms, stars and our planet: Sign up for USA TODAY's Climate Point newsletter.

Damaging wind gusts, flooding in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

As Ernesto pummeled Puerto Rico early Wednesday morning, officials issued flash flood warnings and the National Hurricane Center reported damaging wind gusts.

By 7 a.m., between 2 and 6 inches of rain had fallen in parts of eastern Puerto Rico, and an additional 2 to 3 inches was projected. "Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly," the weather service in San Juan said .

As rain totals climb, the Rio Grande de Loiza and its tributaries "continue to rise, and the flooding risk continues to increase," the weather service said, adding that the rivers would likely overflow.

Meanwhile, St. John and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands received between 3 and 5 inches of rain through Wednesday morning, leading the weather service to warn of the potential for "life-threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets, and underpasses."

According to the National Weather Service office in San Juan, an 86 mph wind gust was recorded in Culebra, a small island off the eastern coast that's part of Puerto Rico. A National Weather Service crew in Ceiba, in northeastern Puerto Rico, recorded a gust of 74 mph. Winds as high as 75 mph were recorded across the Virgin Islands, the weather service said.

In Bermuda, stocking up as in COVID times

On Bermuda, Jessica Burns said she woke up Wednesday morning to torrential rain and is preparing for much worse this weekend, when Hurricane Ernesto could arrive as a Category 2 storm, according to the Bermuda Weather Service .

Burns, 29, said she was born and raised on the island, but this is her first summer at the helm of the family’s vacation rental business after her mother passed away in November 2023.

Burns, neighbors and staff trimmed loose branches and removed coconuts from trees “to make sure there’s no danger of those coming loose and causing damage,” she said.

Burns said she also loaded up on food, batteries and water. “We’re all going to the grocery store, stocking up like we were during COVID,” she said.

Some vacationers checked out early this week from Burns’ Southern Views Property Rentals, wanting to get out of Ernesto’s way. Other guests are “hunkering down” with staff and were provided an extra night for free to stay safe and dry, she said.

− Claire Thornton

Will Ernesto impact the mainland US?

While Ernesto isn't expected to hit the mainland U.S., authorities have warned of potentially dangerous beach conditions — such as rip currents and rough surf — along the nation's Atlantic coast as the storm churns toward Bermuda.

The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday cautioned recreational boaters, fishermen, beachgoers, and water sports enthusiasts in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to stay out of the water "due to deteriorating sea state conditions and dangerous rip currents associated with Tropical Storm Ernesto."

Forecasters said strong swells will begin to reach North Carolina beaches by Friday and advised beachgoers to be aware of the risks and dangers.

"The storm may be hundreds of miles out to sea and the weather could look great at beaches along Florida, the Carolinas, even up to New England, but everyone needs to be aware of the risks and dangers at the beach," according to AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva. "We expect the rip current risk along the Atlantic coast of the U.S. to start later this week along the Southeast and ramp up over the weekend, expanding to the north."

Ernesto fifth named storm in 2024 hurricane season

In a revised forecast issued earlier this month, the federal government called for an "extremely active" Atlantic hurricane season , one that could rank among the busiest on record. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted 17 to 24 named storms with about 8 to 13 becoming hurricane-strength, over the average 14 named storms and seven hurricanes.

In a statement, NOAA head Rick Spinrad said the season started "early and violent" with Hurricane Beryl being the earliest Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic on record. He added the agency's update signifies that the peak of the hurricane season is near, which typically includes the most impactful storms and hurricanes.

Overall, NOAA says there's a 90% chance of an above-average season, which is among the highest chances ever issued by the agency, lead seasonal hurricane forecaster Matthew Rosencrans told USA TODAY.

Ernesto comes on the heels of deadly Hurricane Debby

Ernesto emerged in the Atlantic as residents and authorities across the eastern U.S. were recovering from former tropical storm Debby.

Debby made landfall last week along Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 1 hurricane before the storm's remnants caused major flooding across much of the Eastern Seaboard, inundating entire neighborhoods as authorities conducted water rescues and evacuations. At least eight deaths have been tied to the storm.

In July, Hurricane Beryl pummeled the Caribbean as a major hurricane before slamming Texas, inflicting massive power blackouts that led to several fatal cases of heatstroke. Beryl has been linked to more than 20 deaths across the U.S. and the Caribbean.

Contributing: Doyle Rice and Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY; C. A. Bridges, Palm Beach Post; Reuters

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The ‘Orgasm Gap’ Isn’t Going Away for Straight Women

A new study suggests they still have fewer orgasms during sex than men do, even with age and experience.

An illustration of two people hugging. One person has purple and orange stars and wavy lines across their body. The other person does not have the stars and wavy lines across their body.

By Catherine Pearson

Sex researchers and therapists have long known that women in heterosexual relationships tend to have fewer orgasms than men do. A large new study suggests that this “orgasm gap” persists — and does not improve with age.

The Numbers

The research, published recently in the journal Sexual Medicine, found that across all ages, men of all sexual orientations reported higher orgasm rates during sex — from 70 to 85 percent — compared with 46 to 58 percent for women. Lesbian and bisexual women between ages 35 and 49 reported higher orgasm rates than their heterosexual counterparts.

The analysis included data from eight Singles in America surveys, which are funded and conducted by Match.com annually in collaboration with The Kinsey Institute, the sexuality and relationships research program at Indiana University. The sample included more than 24,000 single Americans between the ages of 18 and 100.

Researchers were especially interested in the question of whether orgasm rates vary by age. Amanda Gesselman, a research scientist with the Kinsey Institute and lead author on the study, said she thought the team might find evidence that the orgasm gap narrows as women develop confidence and learn what they like (and, perhaps, their partners develop skills to help pleasure them).

However, while older gay and bisexual men and lesbian women did have higher orgasm rates, “we really didn’t see evidence of closing the orgasm gap overall,” she said, adding that she hopes future studies will explore the age-orgasm connection further.

“We really, as a society, sort of prioritize men’s pleasure and undervalue women’s sexual pleasure,” Dr. Gesselman said. “And I think that contributes to consistent disparities.”

The Limitations

Emily Nagoski, a sex educator and author of the book “Come Together” — who did not work on the new study — said a limitation of the study was that the survey asked: “When having sexual intercourse in general, what percentage of the time do you usually have an orgasm?” But it did not provide a more specific definition of what “sexual intercourse” means.

Research shows the majority of women require some form of clitoral stimulation in order to orgasm. So if straight women defined “sexual intercourse” as vaginal penetration alone, it makes sense that there was a significant gap in orgasm rates, she said.

A more revealing question might be, “What percentage of the sex you have do you like?” Dr. Nagoski said. “Orgasm is not the measure of a sexual encounter. Pleasure is the measure of a sexual encounter.”

Ultimately, what matters is that people spend time figuring out what makes a satisfying sexual encounter for them — which often includes things like connection, trust and comfort, said Kristen Mark, professor at the Eli Coleman Institute for Sexual and Gender Health at the University of Minnesota.

“There are so many ways to experience sexual pleasure, so it’s important not to equate the orgasm gap to a pleasure gap,” she added.

Dr. Mark said that may be especially true later in life, when factors like the hormonal changes that occur during menopause, a partner’s erectile problems or other health challenges can make it difficult for women to reliably orgasm during sex — but they might still be enjoying the sex they are having.

What Progress Looks Like

At the same time that sex researchers and experts are calling for a more nuanced understanding of what makes sex “successful,” they express frustration at the fact that heterosexual women of all ages are still not having as many orgasms as their partners.

Laurie Mintz, a professor of psychology at the University of Florida and author of “Becoming Cliterate: Why Orgasm Equality Matters — and How to Get It,” said the study’s findings underscore the need for comprehensive sex education. But that’s not enough.

Women need to figure out what they find pleasurable, and then feel confident and comfortable communicating that to their partners, Dr. Mintz said. That requires an attitude that conveys “I deserve pleasure as much as my partner,” she added — and it also requires a partner who is receptive and open. Dr. Mintz acknowledged that both are easier said than done, calling the orgasm gap an “insidious” byproduct of patriarchal attitudes toward sex.

Women who are unable to orgasm, or who are simply not having sex that feels good, can talk to their general practitioner, Dr. Mark added — though she lamented that it tends to fall on patients, not medical professionals, to initiate conversations about sexual health. And she acknowledged that most doctors get little if any training in sexual health. Still, “it’s their job to meet you where you are and find you the resources you need,” Dr. Mark said. For instance, issues like dryness and pain during sex after menopause — which can make orgasms elusive — are treatable.

But she and other sexual health experts emphasized that there are larger issues at play. Among them, the lingering idea that women’s sexual pleasure is somehow secondary.

“It can be fixed,” Dr. Mintz said. “It’s going to take education, and empowerment, and acceptance of vibrators and lubricants, and using the word ‘clitoris’ — and all of that.”

Catherine Pearson is a Times reporter who writes about families and relationships. More about Catherine Pearson

What to Know About Your Sexual Health

Sexual health can be an important part of personal well-being. the information below can help you demystify this often misunderstood topic..

A new study suggests women in heterosexual relationships still have fewer orgasms  during sex than men do, even with age and experience, creating an “orgasm gap.”

A common antibiotic, doxycycline, greatly reduced cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia when taken every day , a study found.

More than half of men over 40 will experience some kind of erectile problem, and the prevalence increases with age (though men in their 20s and 30s can be affected, too). Here’s what to do about it .

Older daters are not getting adequate screening and protection from S.T.I.s. Here’s how to be a safer sexually active senior .

Any physical activity can improve your sexual health. But these five exercises  are especially beneficial.

New regimens in development, including once-weekly pills and semiannual shots , could help control H.I.V. in hard-to-reach populations.

COMMENTS

  1. Facebook's time travel theorists spot 'cell phone' in WWII pic

    Beyond the niche old photo group, the picture found its way into a conspiracy theory video on YouTube titled "10 REAL Cases of Time Travel That Cannot Be Explained."

  2. 'Cellphone' spotted in WWII pic, convinces internet time travel is real

    Sleuths on Facebook have spotted an odd-looking fellow in a black-and-white 1940s photograph where he appears to be using a device way too high-tech for the decade. The mystery dawns back to 1943 ...

  3. Video Shows Female 'Time Traveler' Using a Cellphone in 1938?

    Video captured in 1938 shows a female "time traveler" talking on a cellphone. Since 2013, a black and white video has circulated online, sparking widespread curiosity among social media users. The ...

  4. Mystery Of 1938 'Time Traveler' With Cell Phone Solved? (VIDEO)

    Apr 4, 2013, 04:41 PM EDT. The mystery surrounding a video that appears to show a young woman talking on a cell phone in 1938 may be solved. The explanation, if true, is sure to disappoint many conspiracy theorists. The black-and-white footage shows a group of young people, possibly factory workers, walking out of a building.

  5. 'Time traveller' spotted texting on mobile phone in 1940s beach photo

    The 1940s beach picture shows Brits enjoying a day at the beach during World War II, but one man seems out of place. He's standing in a brown suit, looking at what appears to be a modern-day ...

  6. Facebook convinced time travel is real after 'mobile phone' spotted in

    An image that emerged online from 1940s Iceland had led some to believe it proves time travel as a man in the photo appears to use a mobile phone. ... a man is leaning and is on a cell phone ...

  7. Video from 1938 showing 'time-traveler' using a cell phone has been

    October 22, 23. Video from 1938 showing 'time-traveler' using a cell phone has been explained. By stefan armitage. In an era where everybody is glued to their cell phones and conspiracy theories run wild, footage recorded back in 1938 has set the internet abuzz, raising questions about the possibility of time travel.

  8. Is This WWII-Era Photo Proof of Time Travel? Social Media Users Think

    Another cell phone time travel post captivated the internet in 2012, and it still has skeptics and believers alike confused. The 1938 video in question shows a woman holding what looks to be a mobile phone up to her ear. Soon after the clip went viral, a man claiming to be the woman's grandson revealed he'd asked her what she was holding.

  9. Proof of Time Travel? Remarkable Photo Shows Man Appearing to Use ...

    In the realm of the bizarre and intriguing, a photograph from 1943 taken in Reykjavík, Iceland, has rekindled the perennial debate about the existence of time travel. Shared in an Icelandic ...

  10. Time traveller: WWII Cornwall Beach photo using mobile phone

    BEWILDERED Twitter users claim to have clocked a "time traveller" in a 1940s beach photo … using a mobile phone.

  11. Does This 1860 Painting Depict a Time Traveler Holding an iPhone?

    Internet users claimed that the small, rectangular object she was holding was actually an iPhone, arguing that this 19th century painting showed time travel. Indeed, the picture looks eerily like ...

  12. Does a Photograph Capture a Time-Traveling Hipster?

    A photograph supposedly showing a "time-traveling hipster" has been circulating on the Internet since at least 2010: Although the image in question is real and unaltered, the man singled out in ...

  13. 'Time traveller using mobile phone' spotted in 1940s photograph of

    It's not the first time eagle-eyed photo buffs have spotted creepily modern devices in grainy old snaps and film footage. In 2010 a cell phone user was caught on an old Charlie Chaplin film and ...

  14. Conspiracy theorists spot 'time traveler using mobile phone' in 1940s

    It's not the first time eagle-eyed photo buffs have spotted creepily modern devices in grainy old snaps and film footage. In 2010 a phone user was caught in an old Charlie Chaplin film and was ...

  15. Time traveller spotted among GIs in WWII Reykjavík?

    The group of GIs in the right corner stands in front of a Taxi-station which has since been torn down, but the suspected time-traveller is standing by the window of what is today Nordic Store, a clothing and gift shop. In 1943 the locale housed, appropriately, a watchmaker. The photograph was shared to the Facebook group Gamlar ljósmyndir, or ...

  16. World War II 'time traveller' spotted in photo and people are ...

    A World War II photo has resurfaced and gone viral as people are convinced it shows a time traveller using a cell phone amongst the crowd. ... Twitter, while another said, "The first handheld phone was created in 1983 and WW2 happened in 1930s-1940s... that is time travel wtf." Advert. Others, however, aren't convinced. ...

  17. 1940s photo shows proof time travel 'is real' after man spotted with

    1940s wartime photo shows proof time travel 'is real' after man spotted with 'phone' During World War II, mobile phones were still decades away from being invented . But sci-fi loving fans think ...

  18. 20 Famous Time Traveler Photos & Videos You Must Have Seen

    Part 2: 10 Famous Time Traveler Photos You Should Know. From time to time, some pictures get viral as time travel photography. Here are 10 such time travel images that you should know about. 1. Greta Thunberg time travel. Greta Thunberg is a young climate activist and environmental heroine. In a 120-year-old picture, there seems to be a girl ...

  19. Video: 'Time Traveler with Cell Phone' Spotted in Crowd at 1977 Elvis

    Video: 'Time Traveler with Cell Phone' Spotted in Crowd at 1977 Elvis Concert | Coast to Coast AM. A crowd shot from one of Elvis Presley's final concerts shows what some suspect could be a time traveler in the form of a woman holding a modern-day cell phone.

  20. 'Time traveller' spotted 'scrolling on phone' in beach photo from the

    Sophie Collins. 'Time traveller' spotted scrolling on phone in beach photo from the 1940s (Image: Getty Images) People are freaking out over a photo taken in the 1940s which some think shows a man ...

  21. The 'time traveler' who is 'using a cell phone' in a Charlie Chaplin

    The 'time traveler' who is 'using a cell phone' in a Charlie Chaplin film: 5 alternate theories. An Irish filmmaker claims to have found an anachronistic cell phone user in a classic 1928 silent film.

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  27. Fact Check: 1938 Video Clip Allegedly Shows Female 'Time Traveler ...

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