Time is not real. It’s a human invention that helps us understand the world.

Throughout history, people have viewed time differently. A few believed time was chaotic, simply one random event after another.

Many ancient religions and sages teach time has a cyclical nature. It follows patterns of birth, death, and renewal. This view of time makes sense when you think about seasons, or phases of the moon. But it dooms people to living out the same life as their parents.

Finally, we have linear time, which the most popular conception of time in the West. In this view, time had a beginning and will have an end. It’s always marching forward — progressing — and you can’t go backward.

However you look at it, time is a funny thing. Often, we’re much closer to the distant past than we realize.

I’ll prove it. Here are 5 historical facts that’ll warp your sense of time.

Jesus and cell phones

Jesus of Nazareth lived closer to the invention of cell phones than the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

In fact, the Egyptian Pyramids were ancient history to him.

Jesus lived approximately 2,000 years ago, around 4 B.C. to A.D. 30. The construction of the Egyptian Pyramids, particularly the Great Pyramid of Giza, dates back to at least 2580–2560 B.C., which is over 4,500 years ago.

The invention of the cell phone is a much more recent event. Martin Cooper of Motorola created the first true mobile phone in 1973, which is about 50 years ago.