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EN_The time-travelling hackers

ELAN

Created on February 19, 2026

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Transcript

the time-travelling hackers

How to repair the mistakes of the past to shape a better future

Start

The archive

You're called to the Central Archive, a vast library beneath the Clockwork City containing centuries of digital records.

The Archive Keeper gestures to flickering and glitching screens: "Look at these anomalies; they're not random. They follow a pattern across time."

"Hi, I'm Ada. These glitches aren't accidents. Someone, or something, has been tampering with the timeline. It is testing humanity's reaction to changes that would affect the future."

"Hey, I'm Marcus. Every choice leaves an echo... Fix the past in order to fix the future. If you ignore any changes in the timeline, the glitches will keep getting worse."

"Hi, I'm Zara! I have identified 9 critical moments across 3 time periods where key systems have been corrupted. We need to visit each moment, fix these issues and collect crystal fragments to repair the Archive systems."

Athens
Social Media
Smart City
Florence
AI Lab
Ethics Council
Berlin
Data Centre
Green Network

Past

Present
Future

"The archive will transport us. Ready to travel through time?"

"Each location has a corruption we need to fix. Solve all nine, collect the fragments, and we can stop this cycle forever."

Social Media
Smart City
Florence
AI Lab
Ethics Council
Berlin
Data Centre
Green Network

Past

Present
Future
Athens

The Rigged Assembly

"We're in 461 BCE. Democracy was just invented here. But look at the system, it's glitching!"

"Stranger, may we ask for your opinion? The Assembly is conflicted. We're voting on three critical proposals today, but the vote counts are rigged. Wealthy citizens' votes count more than ours. Can you fix a proposal so we can see where we went wrong?"

Vote Weight calculator

Identify the imbalance of the formula, then change the importance of votes.

START
Here are the proposals that will be debated and voted on today. Each citizen will vote for their interest. However, the system in place multiplies the votes differently depending on citizens' status. Can you help fix this system so that the votes for all proposals are fair?

90 common citizens = 1 vote per citizen10 wealthy citizens = 10 votes per citizen

Majority choice

Wealthy choice

Expected result

Proposal 1: Education Funding

Public schools

Private academies

Private academies

Proposal 2: Harbour Access

Fishing boats

Merchant ships

Merchant ships

Proposal 3: Healthcare

Equal access

Premium care

Premium care

Type in the correct number into the multiplier to fix the formula. We need to make sure the number of points equals the number of votes.

HINT

|1

1,5

0,5

0,1

Proposed multipliers

Confirm

90 common votes x = points 10 wealthy votes x = points

90

|1

10

"Thank you, strangers! Now that every vote is fairly considered, we can make sure that each proposal will involve pure democracy. Here, take this strange crystal from this urn as a token of our gratitude."

FRAGMENT 1/9 COLLECTED

DEMOCRACY: Every voice counts equally

DEMOCRACY: Every voice counts equally

"One down. See how this corrupt formula echoes forward to our era? Let's keep moving."

Social Media
Smart City
Florence
AI Lab
Ethics Council
Berlin
Data Centre
Green Network

Past

Present
Future
Athens
Florence

The Innovation Network

Time shifts. Leonardo Da Vinci's workshop materialises around you.

"Florence, 1485. The Renaissance. Da Vinci just invented a working flying machine. But he's facing a choice that will shape innovation for centuries."

"Strangers, I've achieved flight! But now I must decide: lock this knowledge in the Medici vault to keep it safe, or share it openly with every workshop in Florence?

I built on the work of Greek engineers, Islamic scholars and Chinese inventors. Should others build on mine?"

Knowledge Network

Decide and show how knowledge spreads

START

Many people seek my inventions. Several Florence workshops, multiple European cities, Universities and other inventors. What should I do with my creations?

HINT

Scenario A: Hoard the knowledge

Lock the designs in the Medici Vault to keep them safe

Scenario B: Share the knowledge

Distribute the designs to all of Florence and the world

Over time, the work of Leonardo Da Vinci went up in flames in the Medici Vault. Some inventions were rediscovered and used, but much more behind in time than what was supposed to be. Working flying machines ended up existing, but were less developed and used by very few people. Wars went on with less advanced technologies and great steps in technological progress were delayed because of this decision...

Start over

"That is the best choice! Innovation must be shared with everyone. In that case, please, take this crystal with you. You might be able to create something new that you can share with others too!"

FRAGMENT 2/9 COLLECTED

INNOVATION: Build together, share openly.

INNOVATION: Build together, share openly.

"Perfect. AI developers face this same choice nowadays. Proprietary or open-source? The principle doesn't change."

Social Media
Smart City
AI Lab
Ethics Council
Data Centre
Green Network

Past

Present
Future
Athens
Athens
Berlin

The Efficient Network

Post-war Berlin materialises. A telegraph office, barely functioning.

"Berlin, 1947. Resources are scarce. Every meter of cable matters. Watch how they rebuild with wisdom, not waste."

"You do not seem from around here. Are you engineers sent from another country to help us? Good. Let me explain then.

The war separated families. We need to restore communication through 6 major cities here in Germany : Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden, Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt.

In order to do this, we need to link them but we have few resources, so we need to be scarse about it. That is why we need you."

Network optimisation

Link all 6 cities with limited resources

START

Link the six cities together with a single cable, starting from Berlin.

Hamburg

To connect the cities efficiently, you need to get to Hamburg first. Cologne should be the 4th city you are going through and Dresden should be the last one. Frankfurt needs to be between Hamburg and Cologne.

Berlin

Dresden

Cologne

Frankfurt

Use the pen icon on the top right to draw the cable on the map. Once you think you have the right path, go to the next page to enter your answer.

Munich

HINT

"Let's try to send a message... Signal travels: Berlin → Hamburg → Frankfurt → Cologne → Munich → Dresden 'Message delivered!' The connection is working and we still have enough resources for other repairs. This is true optimisation.

Thank you! We will be able to rebuild ourselves in harmony with the rest of Europe. Huh? Where did this crystal come from? You need it to restore something? Then please, take it as a thank you gift from us!"

FRAGMENT 3/9 COLLECTED

OPTIMISATION: Use resources efficiently

OPTIMISATION: Use resources efficiently

"See the pattern? Berlin 1947: efficient physical network. Data centre in our time: efficient digital network! Let's keep the pace.

Smart City
AI Lab
Ethics Council
Data Centre
Green Network

Past

Present
Future
Social media
Athens
Athens
Athens

The Algorithm Audit

You arrive at a social media company headquarters, present day.

"Welcome to 2026. This platform serves 2 billion users. But the algorithm is doing exactly what Athens did: amplifying some voices over others."

"Our algorithm is destroying discourse. Verified users and controversial content get boosted. Regular users are invisible. We need to audit this."

Algorithm weight audit

Observe the current algorithm rules and identify biases and rebalance.

START

Here is the chart of the different social media accounts and types of content. Verified: 50% Premium: 25% Regular: 5% Controversial: 50% Facts: 20% Entertainment: 15% The regular users and factual content needs to be seen more while keeping the advantages of premium and verified users.

Type in the correct numbers to match the indicated results and get a chart of 100% across all categories. Some need more percentage than others. Here is the order of priority: Premium > Verified > Regular Facts > Entertainment > Controversial

HINT

|0.3|0,3

1,5

0,7

0,3

10

Proposed multipliers

Verified: Premium: Regular:

50 x = 15 25 x = 25 5 x = 10

|1

0,1

|2

|1,5|1.5

Facts: Entertainment: Controversial:

20 x = 30 15 x = 15 50 x = 5

Confirm

|1

|0.1|0,1

"Real conversations are happening again. This is what democracy should be. No matter the place, no matter the time. Oh, what is this blue crystal? Did we 3D print it? You seem interested in it, you can take it, as a thank you for your help."

FRAGMENT 4/9 COLLECTED

DIGITAL DEMOCRACY: Algorithms must serve the truth, not engagement.

DIGITAL DEMOCRACY: Algorithms must serve the truth, not engagement.

"Athens taught us about equal voices. Social media almost made the same mistakes, but now, it remembers. We can only hope the same will apply in the future."

Smart City
Ethics Council
Data Centre
Green Network

Past

Present
Future
Social Media
Athens
AI lab
Athens
Athens

The Release Decision

A team in an AI research lab has developped a breakthrough language model

"This is the impact of Da Vinci's choices in 2026! Should they share it or keep it?"

"We've achieved something remarkable. But the board wants to keep it for themselves while we think it would be more beneficial to share it with the world. You seem to have knowledge on AI. Can you help me branch the consequences of either choice?"

impact scenario Mapping

Think of the impacts of both choices for each situation. Identify which path serves humanity better.

START

HINT

HINT

HINT

With the AI model kept away from the public, big instances keep using AI for their decisions, letting themselves reach a level of dependency towards a tool that makes unclear, inconsistent, incomplete and even unethical decisions.

START OVER

The AI model is out for the public but with certain limitations and has a lack of security and awareness. AI is now overused and leads to people making decisions through it while polluting the planet by overusing the AI model for anything and everything without care.

START OVER

"We were right, we need to release this model openly. Thank you very much for helping us. Innovation should always be shared, but with guidelines in order to prevent a bad usage of said innovation."

"Here. Our AI model recognised this crystal as something not part of our system. You can hold onto it. Maybe you will be able to find an usage for it someday?

FRAGMENT 5/9 COLLECTED

DIGITAL INNOVATION: Open systems flourish, closed systems stagnate.

DIGITAL INNOVATION: Open systems flourish, closed systems stagnate.

"Innovation dies in darkness. You proved it in 1485 and again in 2026. Let us hope we will be able to do the same in the future."

Smart City
Ethics Council
Green Network

Past

Present
Future
Social Media
Athens
AI Lab
Athens
Data centre
Athens

The Carbon Calculator

A massive data centre. Rows of servers are humming, consuming enormous energy.

"Every cloud storage file, every AI query, every video stream costs carbon. Time to calculate the real price."

"This facility produces 10,000 tons of CO2 annually. Users have no idea which activities cost the most. We need to build a carbon calculator so people can make informed choices. Can you help us?"

carbon footprint ranking

Identify the carbon cost of digital activities. Then pick sustainable recommendations.

START

HINT

HINT

"Excellent. Thanks to you, we managed to find an efficient data network that will help people manage their carbon footprint more easily. Oh, this crystal... Was it there before? Its colour reminds me of carbon! Please, take it, you can probably make better use of it."

FRAGMENT 6/9 COLLECTED

DIGITAL OPTIMISATION: Every byte has a carbon cost.

DIGITAL OPTIMISATION: Every byte has a carbon cost.

"Three eras, same lesson! And you'll see it again in 2075 with the sustainable network."

Ethics Council
Green Network

Past

Present
Future
Smart city
Social Media
Athens
AI Lab
Athens
Data centre
Athens

The Secure Vote

A smart city central command, 50 years in the future. Holographic displays show real-time governance.

"Ten million citizens vote on policies weekly. There was a cyberattack yesterday. Today, there is an emergency climate vote that must proceed securely."

"State-level hackers tried to breach our voting system. The climate funding vote cannot be delayed. We need help to design a system that's secure yet accessible, private yet transparent."

security layer builder

Build a numbered defence system. Balance security with accessibility.

START

We need to create a password based on digital roots. The digital root of a set of numbers is obtained by adding the numbers together until only one number is left. Click on the red hint button to find an example and on the blue icon to find an online calculator.

HINT

Remember each digital root for the next step!

You have everything to make the password of the security layer! Put in order the digital roots of the previous sequences, then add the digital root of that new set of numbers as the last number. For example, if the password was 624, the digital root is 3, so the full password is 6243.

HINT

"Perfect! All cyberattacks have been blocked. 9.7 million citizens can vote. Results are verifiable, but votes are private. This is democracy done right! Oh, someone found this crystal when we were building the security layer. Please, take it! Who knows if it is something that belongs to the hackers."

FRAGMENT 7/9 COLLECTED

FUTURE DEMOCRACY: Secure yet accessible, private yet transparent.

FUTURE DEMOCRACY: Secure yet accessible, private yet transparent.

"Athens to social media to smart cities. Equal voice, always. The technology changes, the principle doesn't."

Green Network

Past

Present
Future
Smart City
Social Media
Athens
Ethics council
AI Lab
Athens
Data centre
Athens

The Optimisation Trap

The AI Ethics Council chamber supervises the advanced AI systems that are used to help govern, but a crisis emerged.

"AI is so advanced that it helps make decisions. But something went wrong with the optimisation."

"Our healthcare is supervised by an AI that's optimised for efficiency. It recommended closing 200 rural hospitals. Urban hospitals got better equipment and shorter waits. But rural communities lost ALL access. People died! We need to redesign the AI's values!"

value hierarchy builder

Identify which values are most important. Balance efficiency with equity.

START

HINT

"Great job! Innovation without ethics is just clever cruelty. Advanced AI must advance justice and fairness, not just optimise metrics. Please, accept this crystal. May it be of help to you in the future."

FRAGMENT 8/9 COLLECTED

FUTURE INNOVATION: Question every optimisation, balance every value.

FUTURE INNOVATION: Question every optimisation, balance every value.

"Florence taught open sharing. AI Ethics teaches what to optimise for. Both are about values, not just technology."

Past

Present
Future
Smart City
Social Media
Athens
Ethics Council
AI Lab
Athens
Green network
Data centre
Athens

The Circular System

Network Operations Centre, 2075. The Final Challenge. A planetary-scale digital infrastructure that must be sustainable.

"This is it. The culmination. Berlin taught efficient telegraph networks. Data centres taught renewable computing. Now: a completely circular digital economy."

"Our smart city runs millions of devices. Climate targets require a 60% reduction in emissions by 2080. We need to redesign everything: power, cooling, hardware lifecycle and network efficiency. Your group seem competent. Please help us build a sustainable circular system."

circular economy designer

Allocate the budget and design lifecycle for each. Achieve 60% emission reduction.

START

Attribute 1000 credits across all aspects in the most optimal way. Select one option per category to reach a total of 1000 units.

HINT

Hardware:10-year lifespan + full recycling, 250 units5-year + component reuse, 150 units3-year standard replacement, 80 units

Power supply: Coal-based energy, 800 units 100% renewable, 400 units Grid power with offsets, 150 units

Cooling: Liquid nitrogen cooling, 400 units AI-optimised liquid cooling, 200 units Standard AC, 50 units

Network: Edge computing (distributed), 150 units Hybrid edge/cloud, 100 units Centralised cloud, 50 units

"Perfect. This is optimisation on a planetary scale. Build to last, power with renewables, reuse every atom. Berlin's wisdom applied to the future. Have this crystal. Keep it and make good use of it. If you managed to help us, you can help anyone."

FRAGMENT 9/9 COLLECTED

FUTURE OPTIMISATION: Circular, not extractive. Regenerative, not consumptive.

FUTURE OPTIMISATION: Circular, not extractive. Regenerative, not consumptive.

"We finally have all nine fragments! We should be able to truly restore the timeline now! We just need to assemble them! Let's place them on the table."

The Master Code

Back in the Archive. All nine fragments glow on the table. Ada places the fragments in a specific pattern.

Ada: "Nine pieces across three eras. Three principles and one truth about responsible digitalisation." Marcus: "The past teaches where principles come from. The present teaches how to apply them. The future teaches what they build." Zara: "Each crystal fragment has revealed a series of letters. Now we arrange them. The pattern will reveal the answers."

Fragment assembly

Identify each word fragment associated to each crystal and assemble the right concepts.

START

|Innovation|innovation|INNOVATION||1

DEM

OPTI

TION

|Democracy|democracy|DEMOCRACY||2

OVA

INN

MISA

ACY

TION

OCR

|Optimisation|optimisation|OPTIMISATION||3

The crystals were found in a specific order, but the final pattern is different. Identify the word fragment that each crystal has revealed and type them in the proper order to find the truth behind responsible digitalisation.

Confirm

HINT

MASTER CODE REVEALED:

Responsible Digitalisation = Democracy + Innovation + OptimisationEqual Voice + Open Progress + Wise Use Across Past + Present + Future Unchanging principles, evolving applications

The Archive trembles. The temporal glitches begin to heal.

Ada: "There was no external enemy. The Time Corruptor was humanity itself. Would we learn these lessons across time? We proved so."Marcus: "Every digital choice leaves an echo through time. You made the right choices." Zara: "The timeline is stable! Past, Present, Future, all connected by these three principles!"

The three Time Hackers step back into the shadows of the archive.

The Clockwork City is saved. But remember: these principles apply everywhere, always, and may weaken if humanity forgets about them. Keep them safe!

The Archive fades. You return to the restored Clockwork City.

Game completed

Fragments Collected: 9/9 Principles Mastered: Democracy, Innovation, Optimisation You are a great Time Hacker. Make sure to apply these principles everywhere you travel through the digital world!

Start over

Power supply

  • Coal is highly polluting.
  • A cleaner energy source has a lower environmental impact.
  • Grid power still depends on standard energy sources.
Hardware
  • Longer use and recycling reduce electronic waste.
  • Reusing parts helps reduce waste and resource extraction.
  • Frequent replacement creates more waste and production emissions.
Cooling
  • Liquid nitrogen cooling is very powerful but energy-intensive.
  • AI-optimised liquid cooling can improve efficiency and reduce waste.
  • Standard AC is often less efficient for large infrastructures.
Network
  • Edge computing processes data closer to users, reducing long-distance transfers.
  • Hybrid edge/cloud mixes flexibility with moderate efficiency.
  • Centralised cloud relies heavily on large distant data centres and data transfer.