So Supernatural — DARK WEB: John Titor, The Internet's Time Traveler

Host: Ashley Flowers
Podcast: So Supernatural (audiochuck | Crime House)
Release Date: September 26, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the perplexing story of John Titor, a mysterious poster on early 2000s internet forums who claimed to be a time traveler from the year 2036. Host Ashley Flowers recounts the saga from the emergence of Titor’s posts, his detailed predictions, and the eerie accuracy of some of his warnings, to the enduring debate about whether he was a hoaxer, a prophet, or something in between. The episode explores the boundaries of science, speculation, and the possibilities lurking in the unknown.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. John Titor’s Appearance and Claims

• Introduction to Titor: In the fall of 2000, an online debate about time travel paradoxes on the Time Travel Institute forum is interrupted by a user, "timetravel_0" (later identifying as John Titor), claiming to be from 2036.
  "Greetings, I am a time traveler from the year 2036." (Ashley Flowers quoting Titor, 03:38)
• Proof and Technical Jargon: Titor offers explanations about time travel technology’s origins at CERN and blueprints for a time machine, including detailed diagrams and photographs of a supposed device.
  "John also explains that his machine generates a ton of gravity, enough to warp spacetime..." (Ashley Flowers, 07:51)

2. Life in 2036 – Utopia Born from Disaster

• Societal Changes: Titor describes a post-apocalyptic but harmonious society—free of bigotry, environmentally conscious, tech-advanced, and tightly knit by community bonds.
  "It's no longer culturally acceptable to fight about religion, race or politics. Instead, everyone focuses on building healthy communities..." (Ashley Flowers, 12:48)
• Jobs and Lifestyle: Life is simpler but more fragile; most people are either farmers or soldiers, with time travel under military control.

3. The Mission: A Computer Emergency

• Reason for Traveling: Titor claims he was sent back to retrieve a 1975 IBM 5100, supposedly essential for resolving a computing crisis looming in 2038 (the "2038 problem"). "Apparently they can only solve the problem with a machine called an IBM 5100... It's the only machine that can fix the 2038 date problem." (Ashley Flowers, 14:13)
• Family Ties: The backdrop is poignant—Titor's grandfather helped design the IBM 5100, and Titor uses his trip to enjoy final moments with his mother, who is allegedly not alive in 2036.

4. Predictions: Hits and Misses

• Accurate Predictions:

  • Iraq War & WMDs: Months before 9/11 and the actual conflict, Titor predicts war between the US and Iraq over WMD allegations.
    "He says there is a huge war coming, involving conflict between the United States and Iraq..." (Ashley Flowers, 18:50)
  • Space Shuttle Disaster: References difficulties with "overheating" in spaceplanes—two years before the 2003 Columbia disaster.
    "Care to share with me how you solved the overheating problem on your spaceplane?" (John Titor, quoted, 19:55)
  • Mad Cow Disease: Warns of outbreaks just before cases surge in Japan and the US between 2001–2003.
  • Streaming TV: Describes streaming television years before its mainstream adoption.
    "On February 18, 2001, John says that in 2036, traditional televisions are a thing of the past. If anyone wants to watch a movie or a show, they just go online to see it." (Ashley Flowers, 20:21)
  • IBM 5100 Revelation: Years after his postings, engineers confirm the IBM 5100 could communicate with legacy systems in a unique way—a detail not widely known at the time.
    "How could John possibly have known that?" (Ashley Flowers, 22:23)

• Misses and Doubts:

  • Civil War Timeline Error: Titor claimed a US civil war igniting in 2015 would escalate into global nuclear war—a scenario that never materialized.
  • Exaggerated Mad Cow Pandemic: Predicted a catastrophic outbreak far larger than reality.
  • General Skepticism: Some predictions may be retroactive guesses or based on existing trends.
    "He could have just assumed that the current trends were going to continue." (Ashley Flowers, 28:16)

5. The Multiverse Loophole

• Parallel Universes: Titor insists that time travel always creates alternate timelines. Events in a visited past do not necessarily mirror the traveler's original timeline, explaining both the hits and misses in his predictions.
  "It creates a whole new timeline. In other words, a parallel universe. You can't change your own past, but you can reshape history for another reality..." (Ashley Flowers, 29:24)
• Butterfly Effect: His actions may have altered our timeline, preventing some of the “inevitable” disasters in his original reality.

6. Practical Advice for Survival

Titor repeatedly offers practical, almost prepper-like tips for listeners:

• Learn to purify water and use a gun/first aid kit.
• Keep a bug-out bag ready.
• Build a network of trusted allies.
• Prefer bicycles over cars for escape; "bikes can't run out of gas on a deserted highway."
• "The captain of the ship knows where the lifeboats are, but he can't stick around to advise people forever." (Ashley Flowers quoting Titor, 27:28)
• His parting forum message:
  "Bring a can of gas with you when your car dies on the side of the road." (John Titor, quoted, 27:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Regret and Second Chances:
  "Sometimes when I can't sleep at night, I mentally replay the mistakes I've made... What if I had a second chance to go back and change those moments?" (Ashley Flowers, 01:11)

• On the Tech Roots of Time Travel:
  "If anyone ever was going to invent a time machine, it makes sense that CERN would be the one to help with it." (Ashley Flowers, 05:34)

• On the Internet Then vs. Now:
  "Keep in mind that when these posts go up, streaming television isn't a thing yet. The iPhone won't be invented for six more years." (Ashley Flowers, 20:25)

• On Hope and Agency:
  "The future is not set in stone. It's still a blank canvas, and we have the power to avert disaster, to choose compassion over conflict, and to rewrite tomorrow with the choices we're making today." (Ashley Flowers, 35:35)

Timestamps for Major Topics

• Introduction & Setup — Regrets & Time Travel: 01:11–03:38
• John Titor Emerges on Forums: 03:38–07:00
• Technical Claims and Time Machine Evidence: 07:00–11:00
• Titor’s Future World Description: 12:38–14:28
• The IBM 5100 Mission: 14:13–16:50
• Prediction Discussion (Accurate and Notable): 18:50–24:59
• Global War and Aftermath: 26:06–27:48
• Missing the Mark — Failed Predictions: 28:16–29:19
• Parallel Universes Explanation: 29:24–31:38
• John Titor’s Farewell & Practical Advice: 27:44, 32:36–33:50
• Closing Reflections on Hope and the Future: 34:40–36:00

Conclusion

Ashley Flowers wraps up the strange tale of John Titor by emphasizing the ambiguity and potential hope in his story. Despite inconsistencies, Titor’s saga prompts us to consider the fragility of our reality, the unpredictable consequences of our actions, and the possibility that even a little advice—however strange its source—can change the course of history. The episode closes with a reflection on our shared ability to shape a more compassionate and resilient future.

Key Takeaway

Whether John Titor was a hoaxer, internet prophet, or a time traveler from a parallel world, his story remains an intriguing blend of science fiction, real-world mysteries, and enduring internet legend. As Ashley says, “the future is not set in stone”—and that’s a challenge, as well as a comfort, for us all.