# The Butterfly-In-a-Box Effect **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 9, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391 "2014-01-09T21:24:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/161 "2014-01-24T15:06:54Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > A couple of my posts, I suggested scale models. (Even said printing press šŸ˜‰ ) Of course, we would need to send it back specifically to some truly gifted person/people. Who in the year 1014 might be smart enough to figure it out? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/162 "2014-01-24T15:50:45Z")
Thatā€™s what I donā€™t know. Maybe if we view thru a quantum tunnel for a while, we can find someone. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/163 "2014-01-24T16:49:54Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Or read about it a thousand years later, as the case may be. > > Does this time machine have the necessary government mandated paradox protections? Iā€™m not going to send back an Uzi and have my great\*grandfather get shot, am I? It would have to. It doesnā€™t take anything as dramatic as killing your great grandfather to make sure you (and probably he) donā€™t exist. Almost any change a thousand years ago is likely to propagate enough differences into history to guarantee no one currently alive will exist in the alternate timeline. Our existence is fragileā€“If your mom and dad had had sex just a few seconds earlier or later, you wouldnā€™t exist. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/164 "2014-01-24T17:03:03Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Our existence is fragileā€“If your mom and dad had had sex just a few seconds earlier or later, you wouldnā€™t exist. Or maybe they didā€¦and thatā€™s the reason you _do_ exist. šŸ˜ƒ Itā€™s possible that the history we are now experiencing is the result of someone elseā€™s meddling. Remember poor Al on the show ā€œQuantum Leapā€-at the end of every episode the world he knew was changed, and he was the only one who knew it. As far as who or where to send innovative items in the year 1014, I canā€™t seem to find anyone of note alive in that period that would have a inkling of what to do with whatever is sent back. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/165 "2014-01-24T18:10:05Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Twinkies are also allowed because this thread isnā€™t about carrying everything to ridiculous extremes just so you can shit in the sandbox, so to speak. Or in other words, ā€œno living creatures or formerly living creaturesā€ means no animals, live or dead, and no vials of micronasties that could infect or inoculate", NOT ā€œOMG! That means we canā€™t send anything made of wood or fiber, or anything that might have been touched by a germ!ā€ Then maybe you should have said so in the OP and not expect us all to read your mind. > [@](#): > > Also, I shouldnā€™t have to say that you _are_ limited to things that will fit in the box _and actually exist_, but for your benefit, consider it said. Then maybe you should have said the italicized part in your OP and not expect us all to read your mind. Why canā€™t we send made up things in your made up time machine? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/166 "2014-01-24T18:21:05Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Why canā€™t we send made up things in your made up time machine? For the same reason that if someone starts a thread titled ā€œIf you could pick a single hair color for everyone in the worldā€¦?ā€ it might be considered rude if people popped in with a bunch of imaginary colors. You know, if _you_ want to start a thread titled ā€œIf you could send anything, real or imaginary, anytime real or imaginary and/or anywhere real or imaginaryā€¦?ā€ it _might_ be vague enough to stop efforts to gum up the works. But I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/167 "2014-01-24T18:25:47Z")
A very young (therefore small) breeding pair of Morlocks? Oh yeah, theyā€™re living organisms. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/168 "2014-01-24T18:35:16Z")
Note to **Drunky Smurf** : I also didnā€™t say that the place you sent the item had to be real, but Iā€™m still going to disallow any items sent to Oz, Wonderland or the Big Rock Candy Mountain. Deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/169 "2014-01-24T19:35:05Z")
A scale model of Hitlerā€™s invasion of Poland. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/170 "2014-01-24T19:53:29Z")
> [@spinky](#): > > A scale model of Hitlerā€™s invasion of Poland. They might be able to recognize what area of the country the diorama is showing. What else do you think they would get from it? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/171 "2014-01-24T21:05:12Z")
Invent the game Risk 942 years earlier? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/172 "2014-01-24T21:08:40Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Invent the game Risk 942 years earlier? Thus supplanting chess has the intellectual game of choice throughout the rest of history? I like it. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/173 "2014-01-24T21:26:31Z")
Yeah! Too much thinking in chess. Solve conflicts with the luck of the dice and then simply pour more and more troops into a battle. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/174 "2014-01-24T22:06:35Z")
That would have far-reaching consequences throughout history, as nearly every dictator bent on world domination would begin by attempting to take over Australia and Indonesia. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/175 "2014-01-24T22:42:56Z")
I think **spinky** wins the thread, then. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/176 "2014-01-24T22:53:19Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > I think **spinky** wins the thread, then. For using a diorama of Hitler taking over Poland to eventually cause the constant subjugation of Australia? Definitely hard to top, Butterfly Effect-wise. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/177 "2014-01-24T23:31:04Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > A couple of options. > A small thermonuclear device sent to detonate on arrival delivered to the Vatican. Would be interesting to see the path of RC religion if the Vatican was wiped out 1000 years ago. For the fun of it I did some research to figure out what the likely consequences would be, and found the [following](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benedict_VIII) > [@](#): > > Benedict VIII was opposed by an antipope, Gregory VI, who compelled him to flee Rome. He was restored by Henry II of Germany, whom he crowned Emperor on 14 February 1014. So I think it would be a pretty clear signal to one and all that the idea of crowning Henery II as Emperor was opposed by God, and that they should make Gregory VI pope ASAP. As for my choice: a working clockwork model of the inner solar system with the sun moon and planets represented as statuettes of their respective gods. Iā€™d have to research who to send it to but I bet I could find someone who could figure out its significance and become an early Copernicus. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2014, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/178 "2014-01-25T03:33:50Z")
Iā€™ve got it! A Jack in the Box, complete with music. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/179 "2014-01-25T04:13:00Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Iā€™ve got it! > > A Jack in the Box, complete with music. May we assume you donā€™t mean a Jumbo Jack burger, complete with jingle? šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391/180 "2014-01-26T13:04:37Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Heck, Iā€™d probably just send back a treat from the future to make them happy for a couple of minutes. Iā€™m thinking of filling the box with Hostess Twinkies. From what Iā€™ve read, theyā€™d still be ā€œfreshā€ if no one found the box for 1,000 years, so you could eat them or send them back a second time to discover whether theyā€™d be edible after 2,000 years. Iā€™d bet yes. Iā€™d pack the box with eye glasses of various strengths, after sterilizing them and the box. Wouldnā€™t want to send some old but mutated disease back to plague them all over again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-butterfly-in-a-box-effect/678391.md?page=10)