First published in Collier’s Weekly on June 28, 1952, the story went on to become one of the most reprinted science fiction stories of all time, perhaps because of its relevant and startling presentation of how remote events in time can still significantly alter our day to day existence.

The action of the story draws heavily on the idea of what came to be known popularly as the “butterfly effect,” although it predates the actual use of the term.

In 2005 Warner Bros released a film starring Edward Burns and Ben Kingsley among others.