If you could go back in time and witness any big event in history, which one would it be

[MyPithyCat]

For me it'd be the first commercial radio broadcast on 2nd November 1920. That's the best type of radio (even though it'd adverts every 15-20 minutes) but I'd love to see how it all began

Oh definitely and I have thought of more now, when these were first created:

• Nazca lines
• Rapa Nui stone heads - I nearly went there but Covid got in the way
• Skara Brae

Yeah I get the curiosity, but I couldn't stand the executions.

There is no exact date but about 5.5 mil years ago. Sit on top of some Gibraltar mountain, bring a picnic, watch nature do a proper nature thing.
And for once find out if the flood was instant or it took many many years. So big picnic with me I guess.

Excellent list! I've flown over the Nazca lines and they are astonishing.

this thread reminds me of this film

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timescape_(1992_film)

That's going far too far into the future! According to my daughter's Edinburgh office the World Cup's over and they're planning the victory parade through the streets. Good goals though, pleased for them and their long suffering fans.

This is such a refreshing thread !
I would love to have seen one of the Thames frost fairs of the 1700/1800s when the river froze over.

Mine would also be the big bang.

HRTFT but just before the big bang, to witness the very beginning.

15th C Venice during the carnival

If we can include prehistory, I'd love to have seen Lucy, an early Australopithecine who was a very early ancestor of humans, going about her business.

I wonder what it was like in the London crowds on VE Day. Or anywhere in England when the surrender was announced. I can’t even fathom the feelings of relief and joy.

i also wonder if there was ever a time when an ordinary peasant felt any everyday joy in medieval times or if it was a 24 hour living hell the way I feel it must have been, especially for women.

The Romanov Tercentenary celebrations, knowing how soon it was all going to be over.

Haven't we all got some Neanderthal genes?

I was just going to say - sitting in on the rehearsals for Shakespeare's Macbeth. Or Lear.

I managed to get 5 free tickets for the Birmingham show the same night from our LG rep, we got there in record time and a certain song will always remind me of that night!

England winning the world Cup in 1966. My mum was pregnant with me at the time.

When Stonehenge was built, just to see why, and how

Not religious, but when Jesus was about to see if people back then knew who he was or if he was a myth that developed over the years

The crucifixion and following week.

Interesting that others have said Great Fire of London - from a safe distance, obviously

I remember watching a few part documentary about that and my parents thought I was being incredibly morbid. I don't really know why I was so interested either.

The other thing I would like to have been present at is any "sighting" of Spring Heeled Jack, or The Mothman (again from a safe distance). But for obvious reasons, those events may not count 😂

Assassination of JFK

I know that’s very morbid

the Great Exhibition is a really good choice I would look to go there too the numbers that attended is incredible

What a great thread, I'm really enjoying these responses.

It's not an event as such, but I'd like to go back in time and find out who wrote all of Shakespeare's works. The more I read about it, the more I'm sceptical about the man from Stratford, there's so much that just doesn't add up. I expect it would take a bit of detective work but I'm up for that.

Ooh good one, but it would also freak me out, being the only living thing in existence. And what if you discovered that it didn’t happen the way science thinks it did? You’d spend the rest of your life trying to convince the world of the real way it happened, and get branded a loony or conspiracy theorist.

and you could never enjoy a museum or science documentary or book ever again knowing it was all completely wrong. Brian Cox would have you arrested for stalking.

all most unsatisfying. 😆

The signing off of the designs for the Titanic. I’d somehow convince them to put lifeboats on for everyone at the very least.

or are we just bystanders in this hypothetical scenario and not allowed to try to influence?

Moon landings