A panhandler on a subway train asking for money to build a time machine is not something you see every day — even in New York City.
The sight drew a few raised eyebrows recently until a similar-looking man boarded at the next stop asking passengers not to give the panhandler any money, explaining he had come from the future to stop his past self from building the time machine.
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Then three more sets of twins boarded the train in succession, confusing passengers, who probably figured Marty McFly was about to get on at the next stop.
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It was all part of a time travel prank by the troupe Improv Everywhere, which has pulled more than 100 pranks around New York City over the past 10 years. By the time a bystander questioning whether this is some kind of "twin thing" is then greeted by his twin "from the future,'' the passengers don't know what to think.
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Improv Everywhere's latest prank follows a slew of other stunts, including creating a huge holiday light switch, assembling an epic Christmas caroling mission, and sending a young Harry Potter into New York's Penn Station.
As Gizmodo noted, the time travel prank is reminiscent of an X-Files episode called "Synchrony," where a scientist goes back in time to stop his younger self from creating a substance that will enable time travel.
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