People have been left convinced time travel could be real after seeing a photograph taken in Chicago in 1941 featuring a child holding something that wasn't invented until 2010

A photo from 1941 has left some people questioning whether time travel could be real. The historic snap, taken by Edward Rosskam on Chicago’s South Side, shows a lineup of smartly-dressed children and teenagers standing outside a cinema.

But one boy towards the edge of the photograph has left people scratching their heads. Some social media users are now convinced the young man is holding an Apple iPad.

Taking to Reddit’s timetravelerscaught forum, one person captioned the snap: “iPad carrying movie goer, all the way to the right.” But not everyone’s on board with the time-travel theory – and some people think it could be something much more mundane.

Elaborating on historical cinema etiquette, another chimed in: “Back in the day of early film, ushers scanned the audience for pens and notepads as to prevent bootleg recreations of the film.”

Another user added: “If I can time travel, have an iPad and I’m black why in God’s name would I go to the South Side of Chicago in 1941 to watch a matinee of ‘The Aldrich Family’?!”

Here is the relevant bit of the photo:

  • HossenfefferEnglish
    9·
    9 days ago

    “… some people think it could be something much more mundane.”

    No shit.

    I have, of course, enhanced the image to verify. Here’s what I did if you want to check the same detail more clearly:

    Enhance 224 to 176.
    Enhance. Stop.
    Move in. Stop.
    Pull out, track right. Stop.
    Center and pull back. Stop.
    Track 45 right. Stop. Center and stop.
    Enhance 34 to 36.
    Pan right or-and pull back. Stop.
    Enhance 34 to 46.
    Pull back. Wait a minute. Go right. Stop.
    Enhance 57 to 19. Track 45 left. Stop.
    Enhance 15 to 23.

    Becomes pretty clear what we’re looking at, I think.