60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll
Time Travel
July 2-7, 2015

Which one of the following is more important to live a happy and successful life? Having
a firm grasp on the lessons of the past, or having a clear vision of the possibilities of the
future?
Look to the future, not to the past.
It’s been said that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it, but most
Americans prefer to take a more optimistic view about what is important for a happy and
successful life. When it comes to choosing between having a firm grasp of the lessons of the
past or having a clear vision of the possibilities of the future, 53% of Americans think it’s more
important to focus on future possibilities. 34% instead think it’s more important to have a firm
grasp on the past.
While Americans of all political and ideological persuasions tend to think future possibilities are
more important, Democrats (59%) and liberals (59%) are more likely to think so than
Republicans (45%) and conservatives (48%).
What’s More Important for a Happy and Successful Life?
Total
Reps Dems Ind
Lib
Possibilities of the future
53%
45% 59% 52%
59%
Lessons of the past
34
40
29
35
28

Mod
54%
32
Cons
48%
41
Which one of the following behaviors is most likely to disappear a thousand years from
now? 1. Shaking hands to greet someone, 2. Saying “let’s have lunch” and not meaning
it, 3. The sign of the cross, 4. The double-cheeked air kiss, 5. Thank you notes, or 6.
Grocery shopping with a basket?
What’s most likely to disappear in a thousand years? Shopping baskets and thank you notes.
What common behaviors of today are likely to have become extinct in a thousand years? When
asked to choose from a list of six, Americans think grocery shopping in person with a basket is
the top choice of behaviors that will disappear (picked by 25% of Americans), followed by thank
you notes (20%) and shaking hands when greeting someone (17%). Further down on the list
are the double-cheeked air kiss (13%), and making the sign of the cross (12%). One thing few
Americans think is most likely to disappear is making lunch plans you don’t intend to follow up
on. Just 5% of Americans think saying “let’s have lunch” and not meaning it will disappear in a
thousand years from now.
Which Behavior is Most Likely to Disappear in 1000 Years?
Grocery shopping with a basket
25%
Thank you notes
20
Shaking hands to greet someone
17
The double-cheeked air kiss
13
The sign of the cross
12
Saying “let’s have lunch”
5

Which one of the following milestones do you think is most likely to happen first?
Americans think there will be a cure for cancer before Seinfeld re-runs stop airing.
It turns out Americans think a cure for cancer will be discovered before either Seinfeld re-runs
go off the air or soccer becomes more popular than football in the United States. When asked
what milestone was most likely to happen first from a list of five, 41% pick a cure for cancer, far
ahead of the 24% who thought Seinfeld episodes would finally stop appearing in syndication.
And despite changing U.S. demographics and the popularity of soccer worldwide, more
Americans also think there will be cure for cancer before soccer overtakes football in popularity
in the United States (21%).
Much farther down on the list are peace on earth (7%) and the ability to travel through time
(6%).
What’s Most Likely to Happen First?
A cure for cancer
Seinfeld re-runs going off the air
Soccer becoming more popular than football in the U.S.
Peace on earth
Time travel

41%
24
21
7
6
If you were about to be transported into the past or future but didn’t know when or
where, what would you most like to bring with you? A gun, A Bible, Antibiotics,
Condoms, or Christopher Lloyd.
If sent to a different time, most Christians would bring a Bible; non-Christians would bring
antibiotics.
What would you bring if you were transported through time, but didn’t know where you’d end
up? 41% would bring a Bible, the most popular choice from a list of five possible items, while
31% would bring antibiotics, and 21% would bring a gun. Just 3% would pack condoms, while
another 3% would take their chances with Christopher Lloyd.
While Christians overwhelmingly choose the Bible (52%), non-Christians are more interested in
bringing either antibiotics (42%) or a gun (29%).
What Would You Bring With You if You Were Transported Through Time?
Total
Christians
Non-Christians
A Bible
41%
52%
14%
Antibiotics
31
26
42
A gun
21
17
29
Condoms
3
2
6
Christopher Lloyd
3
2
8

If you learned that Stephen Hawking said time travel is possible, what would your
reaction be? “It must be true”, “What does he know?”, or “Who’s Stephen Hawking?”
Americans tend to think Stephen Hawking knows what he’s talking about when it comes to time
travel - if they know who he is.
What if a world famous physicist said time travel was possible? Would Americans then think it
was true? It turns out 36% would accept such a proclamation from renowned scientist Stephen
Hawking at face value, while another 28% pick the more skeptical response of “what does he
know?” Another 30% don’t know who Stephen Hawking is.
If Stephen Hawking Said Time Travel Was Possible…
It must be true
36%
What does he know?
28
Who’s Stephen Hawking?
30

Have you ever wished you could go back in time and change your vote for a president?
Most Americans don’t second guess their vote for president.
Regardless of whether or not most Americans stand by their president, most do stand by their
presidential vote. 75% of Americans say they have never wished they could go back in time
and change a previous vote for president, while 23% say they have.
There is little difference among partisans on this matter. Large majorities of Republicans (76%),
Democrats (78%), and independents (72%) all say they have never wished they could go back
in time and change their vote for a president.
Have You Ever Wanted to Go Back and Change Your Vote for President?
Total
Reps Dems Inds
Yes
23%
23% 20% 25%
No
75
76
78
72

If you were to be reborn several generations from now and had to pick one of the
following five cities to be born in, which one would you choose?
Americans pick Vancouver as the top city of the future.
When Americans are asked to pick a city they’d most like to be born in generations from now
from a list of five, the top choice was Vancouver – picked by 39% of Americans. The second
choice was Zurich, Switzerland, picked by 25% of Americans, ahead of the only locale on the
list located in the United States: Beverly Hills (19%). Few Americans would take a chance on
rapidly developing cities in the third world, the economic powerhouse Singapore (5%) or “India’s
Silicon Valley”, Bangalore (3%).
Which City Would You Want to be Reborn in Generations from Now?
Vancouver
39%
Zurich
25
Beverly Hills
19
Singapore
5
Bangalore
3

If you were given twenty four hours to try to stop one of the following historic tragedies,
which one of the following would you most want to go back in time and try to prevent?
9/11 is the tragedy most Americans would like to go back and prevent.
If they were given twenty-four hours to go back in time to stop one of four historical tragedies,
most Americans would try to stop the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks. 53% would try to
stop the 9/11 attacks, while 21% would attempt to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy,
and another 17% would try to stop the bombing of Pearl Harbor that launched the United States
into World War II. Just 6% would brave being on the deck of the Titanic to try to keep it from
hitting the iceberg in 1912.
Which Historic Tragedy Would You Like to Go Back in Time to Prevent?
Total
18-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
The 9/11 Attacks
53%
59% 59% 57% 51% 38%
The assassination of JFK
21
22
23
19
17
24
The bombing of Pearl Harbor
17
12
12
15
25
25
The Sinking of the Titanic
6
6
5
4
6
7

Which one of the following historic discoveries do you most wish you could go back in
time and witness firsthand?
More Americans would like to go back and take a giant leap for mankind on the moon than
discover the New World with Columbus.
When it comes to what historical discoveries Americans would like to go back and witness
firsthand, the 1969 Moon Landing tops the list. 35% of Americans would like to witness the
Moon Landing, more than the second choice option, the “discovery” of the New World by
Christopher Columbus in 1492 (29%). Fewer would most like to witness two important
archaeological discoveries – finding the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1946, or opening King Tut’s tomb
in 1922. Just 3% pick a culinary discovery lost to the mists of prehistory – the eating of the first
oyster.
Despite Columbus’ controversial legacy - which includes the inauguration of colonialism, the
beginning of the transatlantic slave trade, and the appearance of deadly diseases that wiped out
much of the indigenous population of the Caribbean – witnessing Columbus set foot in the
Western Hemisphere is the top choice among Hispanic Americans, picked by 39%.
Which Would You Most Like to Go Back and Witness Firsthand?
Total
Hispanics
Landing on the Moon
35%
28%
Columbus reaching the New World
29
39
Finding the Dead Sea Scrolls
19
16
Opening King Tut’s tomb
11
11
Eating the first oyster
3
3

Which one of the following rock performances do you most wish you could go back in
time and witness firsthand?
Younger Americans would go back to see Jimi Hendrix; older Americans pick the Beatles.
When asked which one of five historic concerts Americans would most like to go back in time
and witness firsthand, Americans are torn between Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles. While 32%
would like to go back in time and witness the Fab Four at Rock n Roll’s first stadium concert at
Shea Stadium in 1965, 32% would choose to watch Jimi Hendrix close out the 1969 Woodstock
Festival with his electric guitar version of the Star Spangled Banner. Another 13% would brave
getting stabbed by the Hell’s Angels to see the Rolling Stones at Altamont, and 11% would pick
the much calmer acoustic performance of Nirvana at MTV Unplugged in 1993. Just 2% would
instead prefer to see the Sex Pistols attempt to offend the Royal Family on the Thames River in
1977.
There are generational differences. Americans 55 and over would most like to see the Beatles
at Shea (though 20% of those 65 and older volunteer “none of the above”), while Americans
between 18 and 54 are most interested in seeing Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock. And for
Americans between 18 and 34, Nirvana unplugged (22%) holds almost as much appeal as the
Beatles (25%).
Which Rock Concert Would You Most Like to Go Back and See?
Total
18-34 35-44 45-54 55-64
The Beatles at Shea Stadium, 1965
32%
25% 25% 31% 43%
Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, 1969
32
33
35
35
35
The Rolling Stones at Altamont, 1969
13
13
15
15
12
Nirvana at MTV Unplugged, 1993
11
22
15
5
3
The Sex Pistols on the Thames, 1977
2
2
5
*
*
None of these (vol.)
8
4
4
9
5

65+
41%
19
11
2
1
20
If you had to pick, which one of the following people from the past do you think is most
likely to have been a person visiting from the future?
Did Jesus come from the future?
Is it possible that famous people from the past were really travelers from the future? When
asked to pick who is most likely to have visited from the future from a list of five potential
candidates, Jesus of Nazareth tops the list at 46%, followed by Albert Einstein at 24% and
Leonardo da Vinci at 22%. Just 3% pick surrealist painter Salvador Dali, and another 3% pick
the sometimes otherworldly appearing pianist, Liberace.
Christians overwhelmingly choose Jesus (55%), while non-Christians are torn between da Vinci
(36%) and Einstein (34%).
Who Was Most Likely a Time Traveler From the Future?
Total
Christians
Non-Christians
Jesus of Nazareth
46%
55%
22%
Albert Einstein
24
21
34
Leonardo da Vinci
22
16
36
Salvador Dali
3
3
4
Liberace
3
2
3
____________________________________________________________________________
This poll was conducted by telephone from July 2-7, 2015 among a random sample of 1,020 adults
nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Media, PA. Phone
numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling
for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus 3 percentage points. The error for other
subgroups may be higher. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. This poll release
conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Poll.
60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll
Time Travel
July 2-7, 2015
VF-01. Which one of the following is more important to live a happy and successful life? Having a firm grasp on the lessons of the
past, or Having a clear vision of the possibilities of the future?
Lessons of the past
Possibilities of the future
Both equally
Don’t know/no answer
**************** TOTAL RESPONDENTS *******************
***** Party ID *****
*Political Philosophy*
Total
Reps
Dems Inds
Lib
Mod
Con
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
34
40
29
35
28
32
41
53
45
59
52
59
54
48
11
13
10
10
11
13
9
2
2
2
3
2
1
3
VF-02. Which one of the following behaviors is most likely to disappear a thousand years from now?
Grocery shopping with a basket
Thank you notes
Shaking hands to greet someone
The double-cheeked air kiss
The sign of the cross
Saying “let’s have lunch” and not meaning it
Don’t know/no answer
Total
%
25
20
17
13
12
5
8
Men
%
23
15
18
17
13
5
8
Women
%
27
25
17
9
11
4
8
VF-03. If you were to be reborn several generations from now and had to pick one of the following five cities to be born in, which
one would you choose?
Vancouver, Canada
Zurich, Switzerland
Beverly Hills
Singapore
Bangalore, India
Don’t know/no answer
39
25
19
5
3
9
41
25
17
5
3
9
38
24
21
5
3
9
VF-04. Which one of the following milestones do you think is most likely to happen first?
A cure for cancer
Seinfeld re-runs will go off the air
Soccer becoming more popular than football in the U.S.
Peace on earth
Time travel
Don’t know/no answer
41
24
21
7
6
2
40
24
20
7
6
2
41
24
21
7
5
2
VF-05. If you learned that Stephen Hawking said time travel is possible, what would your reaction be?
It must be true
What does he know?
Who’s Stephen Hawking?
Don’t know/no answer
36
28
30
7
39
31
22
7
33
24
36
6
VF-06. Have you ever wished you could go back in time and change your vote for a President?
Yes
No
Don’t know/no answer
****** TOTAL RESPONDENTS *******
***** Party ID *****
Total
Reps
Dems Inds
%
%
%
%
23
23
20
25
75
76
78
72
2
1
1
3
VF-07. Which one of the following historic discoveries do you most wish you could go back in time and witness firsthand?
Landing on the Moon
Columbus reaching the New World
Finding the Dead Sea Scrolls
The opening of King Tut’s Tomb
Eating the first oyster
Don’t know/no answer
Total
%
35
29
19
11
3
4
Hispanics
%
28
39
16
11
3
3
VF-08. Which one of the following rock performances do you most wish you could go back in time and witness firsthand?
The Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965
Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock in 1969
The Rolling Stones at Altamont in 1969
Nirvana at MTV Unplugged in New York in 1993
The Sex Pistols on the Thames River in 1977
None of these (Vol.)
Don’t know/no answer
Total
%
32
32
13
11
2
8
2
************** Age *************
18-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
%
%
%
%
%
25
25
31
43
41
33
35
35
35
19
13
15
15
12
11
22
15
5
3
2
2
5
*
*
1
4
4
9
5
20
1
*
4
1
5
VF-09. If you were given twenty four hours to try to stop one of the following historic tragedies, which one of the following would
you most want to go back in time and try to prevent?
The September 11, 2001 terror attacks
The assassination of President Kennedy
The bombing of Pearl Harbor
The sinking of the Titanic
Don’t know/no answer
53
21
17
6
3
59
22
12
6
1
59
23
12
5
2
57
19
15
4
4
51
17
25
6
2
38
24
25
7
6
VF-10. If you were about to be transported into the past or future but didn’t know when or where, what would you most like to
bring with you?
A bible
Antibiotics
A gun
Condoms
Christopher Lloyd
Don’t know/no answer
Total
%
41
31
21
3
3
2
Christians
%
52
26
17
2
2
1
Non-Christians
%
14
42
29
6
8
1
8
VF-11. If you had to pick, which one of the following people from the past do you think is most likely to have been a person visiting
from the future?
Total
%
46
24
22
3
3
3
Jesus of Nazareth
Albert Einstein
Leonardo da Vinci
Salvador Dali
Liberace
Don’t know/no answer
Total respondents:
***** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ****
Christians
Non-Christians
%
%
56
22
21
34
16
36
3
4
2
3
3
2
1,020
9