Item #: SCP-4132
Object Class: Safe
Threat Level: Green
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4132 is to be kept in a single secure room on Site 133. Testing of pre-human history events is to be performed only with the authorization and oversight of 1 Level 3 researcher. All testing of SCP-4132 is suspended until further notice. In the event of reinstatement of testing authorization, testing of events within 20000 years of the present day will remain denied. Foundation webcrawlers are to scan online shopping sites and flag any listings of products with qualities similar to SCP-4132.
Description: SCP-4132 is an object resembling a sensory deprivation tank composed of an as-yet unidentified plastic polymer. Embedded in the rear surface of the tank is an apparent product branding, identifying the maker as a corporate entity called Chronos Controlos1. A serial number is included in the branding, suggesting that SCP-4132 was intended to be a production model; no units have been found outside of containment. The unit has a single opening leading into an interior chamber filled with an unknown liquid2 providing buoyancy slightly greater than water, such that subjects reliably float within it. Should any amount of the liquid be removed, SCP-4132 will replenish it by an unknown means until it reaches the baseline amount.
A touch-screen monitor is present on the outside of the door of SCP-4132. This monitor remains inactive unless a human subject3 is present inside the tank and the door is closed. Once active, the screen will display two input fields corresponding to 'location' and 'time'. The 'location' field allows for entries as precise as a building site or street address; entries of lesser precision will place subjects in an apparently random point within the specified location. The field also displays a toggle for 'undefined,' which appears to replace specified entries and is presumed to force a random location. The 'time' field corresponds to an amount of time prior to the activation of SCP-4132 and will not allow amounts less than 1 hour or greater than 13.8 billion years4. The temporal input resolution decreases with numbers of greater magnitude, allowing only a maximum of three significant figures at time periods greater than 10000 years before activation. Once both fields have been adequately filled, the screen displays an activation input.
Upon activation, SCP-4132 will become inaccessible for 62 minutes, with the monitor reading ‘Observation In Progress'. No means of opening the door during this period has been discovered. SCP-4132 is impermeable to scanning, but GPS beacons indicate the subject remains within the tank during this period. At the end of the 62-minute period, the monitor will become inert and the door will automatically open. Units will be unable to be activated for approximately 15 minutes following use.
Subjects within the tank report spending approximately one hour observing events that have been determined to correspond to events that occurred starting from the time period specified on the screen input. In the event of a low-resolution selection, SCP-4132 appears to favor events of significance occurring very close to the chosen period5. Subjects are unable to interact with any observed events and there is no awareness of their presence by individuals observed during this period, suggesting that the events being viewed are more similar to a recording than an actual temporal reversion. Recording devices are unable to verify these observations.
Subjects report peculiarities in their movement during the observation event. Subjects are unimpeded by natural or man-made barriers but do not pass through the surface they stand on. Subjects reporting immersion in water do not have any difficulty breathing nor do they observe pressure differential due to depth, and move freely without effort regardless of the motion they make. Similarly, subjects in vacuum environments do not report any decompression difficulties and free motion by thought.
Testing has confirmed that observed events within known locations and time periods are highly accurate and that observations are near-perfectly consistent between units. Anomalous events have been observed prior to human history; it is unknown if these are an accurate historical record or an artifact introduced by SCP-4132.
History: SCP-4132 was discovered on 16/08/2014 when Foundation webcrawlers flagged a potentially suspect listing on ██████.███ advertising a “retrochronal observation machine” with a picture of SCP-4132. The product description read as follows:

Time waits for no man. But now you can go back and see what you missed. The retrochronal observation tank can take you back to wherever and whenever you want. Find evidence for that bold thesis you have. See the truth that hasn't been discovered yet. Relive a classic moment in your OWN life, not a fictional person's.
Chronos Controlos
Revive the past. Revise the future. Retake the present. Regain yourself.

Upon O5 authorization, an order was placed for one unit prior to enacting removal of the listing to be delivered to a Foundation front company. 24 hours after placement of the order, a box containing an instance of SCP-4132 was discovered outside the designated building. Security cameras showed a sudden appearance of the box, without delivery personnel or means of arrival. The box was marked as originating from Chronos Controlos, with an invalid return address provided.
Test Log for SCP-4132:

4132TL-1
Purpose: To confirm reputed function and determine accuracy
Procedure: Dr. Carmen was carefully monitored with cameras for one hour starting at 12:52:16 on 13/09/2014. 24 hours later, Junior Researcher Lao entered SCP-4132 with the purpose of verifying the events, including paying particular attention to specific details which he was unaware of prior to testing.
Result: Junior Researcher Lao correctly identified all probed details and was able to verify near-perfect correspondence with camera observations, remaining uncertain only on details Lao did not attend to.

4132TL-2
Purpose: To determine if experiences deviate from each other
Procedure: A recording procedure similar to 4132TL-1 was used. Beginning 24 hours later, Junior Researchers Lao, Christoph, Brigs, and Stanton were successively inserted into SCP-4132, with a one-hour period between activation events. Subjects were independently briefed on the events and told that other subjects were to observe other events and not to discuss observations with them.
Result: Correspondence between observed accounts exceeded 99% accuracy, with discrepancies believed to be attributable to errors in recall and differences in perception rather than discrepancies in the presentation of events.

Additional Notes: SCP-4132 seems to be working as advertised. I would expect greater discrepancy if these were somehow showing different versions of the past. However, it would be wise to independently verify that the length of time between events and observations doesn't cause differences to arise. -Senior Researcher Mandel
Additional testing is pending approval.
Experiment Log for SCP-4132:
The following experiments were performed by parapaleontology expert Dr. Korvacs, who has hypothesized that anomalous events may have precipitated recorded mass extinctions.

4132EL-1
Examined event: Ordovician–Silurian extinction event
Period entered: 445 Ma BA6
Verified conventional hypothesis: No
Observation: Dr. Korvacs observed no initial terrestrial activity. Approximately 20 minutes in, impact from a burst of energy of extraterrestrial origin was observed. Burst continued for approximately 30 seconds before ceasing. No further activity was observed.
Notes: I've seen a gamma ray burst hypothesized, but that was certainly not a gamma ray burst. However, I doubt we'll be able to determine the origins or easily track the effects. -Dr. Korvacs

4132EL-2
Examined event: Late Devonian extinction event
Period entered: 360 Ma BA
Verified conventional hypothesis: Undetermined
Observation: Dr. Korvacs observed expected Devonian-era life activity. No notable events occurred during the viewing window.
Notes: If it's true that this favors viewing of notable events, then it's possible there wasn't any significant prelude to this extinction event. This supports the idea that gradual changes were responsible for the Late Devonian extinction event, but can't confirm it. -Dr. Korvacs

4132EL-3
Examined event: Permian-Triassic extinction event
Period entered: 252 Ma BA
Verified conventional hypothesis: No
Observation: Dr. Korvacs observed expected Permian-era life activity. Approximately 25 minutes in, an extraterrestrial object made impact. Object rapidly unraveled into a large entity, which proceeded to emit [DATA EXPUNGED].
Notes: Even amnestics won't let me unsee this. No wonder this was the worst extinction event on record. -Dr. Korvacs

4132EL-4
Examined event: Triassic-Jurassic extinction event
Period entered: 201 Ma BA
Verified conventional hypothesis: Yes
Observation: Dr. Korvacs observed massive volcanic eruptions during the entire one-hour observation period. Believed to be location of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province.
Notes: After that last one, it's almost a relief that this was mundane. -Dr. Korvacs

4132EL-5
Examined event: Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event
Period entered: 66 Ma BA
Verified conventional hypothesis: Yes
Observation: Dr. Korvacs observed expected Cretaceous-era life activity. Approximately 12 minutes in, bolide impact was observed. Dr. Korvacs noted multiple visual distortions typical of dimensional disruption occurring in a progressively increasing radius from impact before observation ended.
Notes: I confess I expected to confirm the conventional hypothesis for this event, but I didn't expect the other finding. That was an awful lot of DK-class events. What was in that asteroid? -Dr. Korvacs

4132EL-6
Examined event: None7
Period entered: 23.9 Ma BA
Verified conventional hypothesis: N/A
Observation: Dr. Korvacs observed end-Paleogene life activity. Approximately 6 minutes in, a theorized DE-class dimensional anomaly was observed, permitting passage to humanoid entities resembling Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops horridus. Entities appeared to be fully encased in apparent bio-isolation gear and armed with unknown weaponry. Entities were observed collecting samples and entering information into computerized devices. Approximately 57 minutes in, all entities re-entered dimensional anomaly, which subsequently vanished.
Notes: I don't know exactly what I just saw, but given the level of technology, I think we're best off if we don't see them again. -Dr. Korvacs

4132EL-7
Examined event: Eocene-Oligocene extinction event
Period entered: 33.9 Ma BA
Verified conventional hypothesis: Yes
Observation: Dr. Korvacs observed expected Paleogene-era life activity. Approximately 37 minutes in, an impact was observed, believed to be the Popigai impact. No anomalous activity was found.
Notes: I'm almost disappointed by this, given that I strongly believed in a more anomalous hypothesis. It certainly didn't have the peculiarities that the K-P event had. -Dr. Korvacs

4132EL-8
Examined event: Middle Miocene extinction event
Period entered: 14.0 Ma BA
Verified conventional hypothesis: No
Observation: Dr. Korvacs observed expected Miocene-era life activity. Approximately 13 minutes in, significant seismic activity was reported, which continued through the end of the observation period. The source of the seismic activity was unidentified.
Notes: What on earth was that?! Further testing to find the source of this activity requested. -Dr. Korvacs

Additional Notes: Test 4132EL-8 was repeated an additional 4 times. Location was different each time, but the onset of the seismic activity occurred at identical time points in each observation. The source of the activity has remained unidentified. Additional investigations are pending approval.
As of 27/01/2015, testing has been postponed until a determination can be made as to whether the anomalies observed are an accurate reflection of the historical record or introduced by the use of SCP-4132. Objections by Dr. Korvacs and Site Director North have been overruled pending further investigation into the nature of SCP-4132 and Chronos Controlos.
Special Report:

THE FOLLOWING REPORT IS TO BE ACCESSIBLE ONLY TO SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR VERDANA AND MEMBERS OF O5. UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS IS PUNISHABLE BY IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT.

Please enter provided pass phrase:

Time is not on our side

Report Foreword: Chronological Aberration Investigation

On 03/01/2016 I was commissioned by the O5 council to conduct a special investigation involving the use of SCP-4132 to examine inaccuracies in the historical record. Included in this report is a complete log of all tests performed by myself, with the operational aid of Special Investigator Garcia.
The purpose of this report was a documentation of the chronological record to highlight prior K-class events for the purpose of elucidating the causes and potential means of prevention in the event of a recurrence of the same or a similar event. In the process of commissioning this report, several pieces of highly classified information were revealed to me, including that humanity had been entirely eliminated at multiple points in the past, and subsequently rebuilt and restarted from certain points in time. I was subsequently brought to a classified archive where evidence of no less than 8 prior K-class events was shown to me, and further informed that these were only the events which there was artifactual evidence of. Additionally, I was given estimates of perhaps as many as 17 such events total in the past 200 years, between known and unknown K-class scenarios. No information regarding where those estimates came from was ever provided to me.
At the risk of editorializing, learning that humanity has been exterminated at multiple points in the past, and then rebuilt and re-established as if nothing had happened, is viscerally unpleasant to imagine. That I, myself, may not be the same myself that I once was haunts me daily. I already have plenty to deal with in my daily role in the Foundation, an existential crisis on top of that is far from welcome. It was these sentiments that nearly led me to reject the commission as others had prior to my being approached, but which ultimately spurred me to finally accept them. If only to play whatever part I could into making sure it never happened again. I mention this only to assure that my discomfort at the ideas presented to me did not in any way color my approach to my investigation nor the extent to which I covered the events I was expected to find. We all must look death in the face in this line of work, at least in this case it would not be looking back at me.
I understand now that SCP-4132 testing is not restricted because it is believed to introduce anomalies. It is restricted because of the risk of discovery of the incongruencies in the historical record caused by rebuilding after prior K-class events, which would easily be uncovered if one were to try to examine notable dates in human history. Someone not briefed on this might naturally respond poorly to it, and the more who know, the greater the risk of an information breach. I was thus given the expectation that I would witness dates that did not line up with the amount of time that should have passed, and that this would make narrowing down the time periods to examine the K-class events quite simple.
This report contains the only logs of SCP-4132 testing within the last 200 years, a total of 846 individual trials conducted over 9 months. The results of the testing did not correspond to my expectations. I hypothesized, based on available information and expert estimates, to find anywhere between 8 and 17 K-class events which resulted in the total or near-total elimination of humanity. I found two. Both corresponded to extant evidence provided to me at the outset of this task. The six others for which O5 has available evidence for their occurrence do not exist in the chronological record. Nor is there any sign of any events which have been hypothesized to have occurred without clear physical proof of their existence. No pieces of publicly-known human history were discovered to be missing.
I have discounted entirely the notion that the evidence provided to me was fictitious or manufactured. The verification of two such events lends credence to the idea that O5 is in possession of legitimate artifacts from humanity's interruptions. Nor do I believe that SCP-4132 would eliminate evidence of die-offs due to the lack of human observational ability, given the testing performed by Dr. Korvacs prior to this commission. Indeed, there is no indication that SCP-4132 has the capacity to do anything but read from the chronological record.
Which leaves me only one conclusion to arrive at: the chronological record itself has been scrubbed. Pieces of our own history have been excised. I cannot begin to speculate how or why this might be. But the fact that the only pieces I could find missing were the ones where humanity had been destroyed leaves me with a disturbing sense that this is not accidental.
-Special Investigator Verdana

Footnotes
1. Public records list no incorporated entity by that name.
2. Chemical analysis of the liquid yields inconsistent results.
3. Testing with sapient humanoids is currently pending approval.
4. Corresponding to the theoretical age of the universe.
5. According to subjective accounts. It is unknown whether SCP-4132 has independent recognition of ‘important' events or has been programmed to favor certain events.
6. Before Activation (of SCP-4132)
7. Intended to be Eocene-Oligocene extinction event observation, Junior Researcher Stele entered date 10 Ma less than should have been input.

« SCP-4131 | SCP-4132 | SCP-4133 »