Time Machine

A temporal vessel built by Professor Farnsworth to ride forward and backward through history's flexible spine.

The Time Machine is one of Professor Farnsworth's most ambitious inventions, built by the Professor alone, allowing travelers to navigate the linear flow of history itself. It can travel both forward and backward in time, granting access to distant futures and past eras alike. This technology is not merely a mode of transport but a narrative tool that explores causality and destiny within the series. By enabling characters to witness future events or correct past mistakes, it drives some of the show's most complex storylines involving identity and consequence.

Quick Facts

Creator: Professor Farnsworth
Primary users: Planet Express Crew

Reader's Guide

It is known that Professor Farnsworth is the inventor, and the device is one of his many creations. The show's episodes often feature the central trio of Fry, Leela, and Bender, and that the Professor's work as a mad scientist funds Planet Express.

Did You Know?

Professor Farnsworth is Fry's distant nephew and technically descendant, and he founded Planet Express Inc. to fund his work as a mad scientist.
The series is set in New New York at the turn of the 31st century, a time filled with technological wonders.
Fry was cryogenically preserved for 1,000 years and revived on December 31, 2999.
The show was nominated for 12 Emmy Awards, winning six, and won a Writers Guild of America Award for the episode 'The Prisoner of Benda'.
The Head Museum keeps a collection of heads alive in jars thanks to technology invented by Ron Popeil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who invented the Time Machine?

Professor Farnsworth constructed this device as a major engineering feat designed for traveling through historical timelines. It is currently maintained by Planet Express for use during specific inter-dimensional assignments.

Who is authorized to pilot the Time Machine?

Although Farnsworth created it, the Planet Express crew members are the ones who typically operate the vessel during missions. Fry and Leela frequently take control when navigating complex temporal situations.