The most fascinating and unusual stories in the world are those based on legends and myths. Typically, such stories are based on real events that are then embellished with fiction, hypotheses, conspiracy theories and so on. Nobody can ever be certain that they will know the truth or the origin of the story. The Philadelphia Experiment has become one of such legends that has been spoken about around the world for many years. Find out more at iphiladelphia.
What is the Philadelphia Experiment?
The story, which in the modern world is known now as the Philadelphia Experiment, began to be spread during World War II. It revolves around a ship, the USS Eldridge, that was teleported from the territory of Philadelphia to Norfolk and back. The events that took place on the destroyer are the subject of numerous legends. Over the years, there were eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen the unfolding of the event. The government never confirmed rumors about the experiment, but those interested in uncovering the secret tried to reveal some facts.
The start of the experiment and its participants
None of the theories were ever 100 percent confirmed, but as often in such mysterious stories, there were multiple theories. Some of them include scientists who participated in the experiment. The first name that is mentioned more often is Albert Einstein. There are hypotheses that the experiment was created based on his calculations. Some claim there is proof of this, citing the resemblance of his handwriting to that of the person who worked on the development of the experiment. However, we cannot be certain that this evidence is not just another fiction.
The second person who is credited for the experiment is Nikola Tesla. He was said to have worked on the experiment until his death. Tesla joined the team working on the project at the time of its creation and continued to develop it since he believed the work was promising.
The experiment is believed to have begun in 1912. David Hilbert, a mathematician, discovered and justified the existence of a multidimensional space. Later, in 1926, he shared his theory with John von Neumann, who was acquainted with Levinson. It was these scientists who became the driving force behind the decision to carry out the experiment on the invisibility of a large object. The theory was first tested in the early 1930s at the University of Chicago. Following this, Tesla joined the scientists.
The experiment and its effects
The experiment was first put into action in 1940. It was held at the US Navy base in Brooklyn, and there was no crew on board because Tesla was concerned about the safety of those who could be on the ship. The goal of the experiment was to create an electromagnetic zone around the ship, which would make it invisible to enemy radars. It seems to sound quite clear and logical, but what happened afterward, according to eyewitnesses, casts some doubt on the validity of the further development of events. In 1941, Nikola Tesla and his team were granted full permission from the authorities to develop the experiment. It was originally known as the “Rainbow” and only later received its modern name the “Philadelphia Experiment” due to widespread media coverage. Tesla then equipped the ship with special coils, although he had worries about the experiment due to the irreversible damage it could cause to human health. Because of such concerns, the scientist did everything he could to delay the launch of the project. However, another team member insisted on launching the experiment, and the military supported him, especially because Tesla had died and no one was standing in the way anymore.
On July 20, 1943, the experiment was put into action and the installations were activated. The ship’s invisibility lasted 15 minutes, after which the entire crew began to suffer from headaches, nausea and mental disorders. Repeated tests were carried out on August 12, 1943, but Neumann lowered the power of the magnets at this point to reduce the health risks to sailors and to ensure that the ship was invisible solely to radar. However, the experiment did not go as planned. The ship disappeared from Philadelphia and then reappeared in Norfolk before returning to its original position. The sailors’ health suffered more than the previous time. Some lost the ability to walk without leaning on something, while others experienced constant fear. As a result of such outcomes, the project was closed.
Other stories regarding events on the ship
Some report that the destroyer not only teleported and became invisible, but also traveled through time. Of course, though, these statements were only rumors. Some eyewitnesses claimed that once the ship reappeared, the whole crew died, and that some corpses turned into the material from which the destroyer was made and merged with it. According to another source, only 21 people survived out of the entire crew of 181 representatives. However, later they began to suffer from paranormal ailments like spontaneous combustion and falling out of time. Two of these people fell out of time and burned for 18 days, and even firefighters were unable to extinguish them or improve the situation. Another person passed through the wall in front of his child and wife, disappearing forever.
The investigation of events
One day, writer Morris Jessup got a letter from a man named Carlos Allende, who claimed to be an eyewitness. During the experiment, he was on board the SS Andrew Furuseth, a ship that was part of the destroyer’s control group. He allegedly saw Eldridge being shrouded in a heavy green fog and then vanishing. Also, the man was acquainted with people who witnessed the incident from the deck, but no one else wanted to share what they saw. After receiving this letter, Jessup began investigating the case. But in 1959, he was discovered unconscious in a car filled with exhaust fumes. He never made it to the hospital. According to conspiracy theories, he was eliminated after learning too much about the events of the day. The investigation of his death produced no results.
Everyone who appeared to be involved in the experiment denied that it had ever happened at all. Documents such as ship logs that could have cast light on events mysteriously vanished. The US Navy denied conducting the Philadelphia Experiment. Some researchers generally assert that the project was a cover for testing atomic weapons. Furthermore, they suspect that the surviving crew members had their memories erased, thus no one could tell the truth about the experiment.
In the 1990s, scientist Robert Goerman decided to reopen the investigation of the case. He was quite skeptical, thus his goal was to prove that the experiment was not real. He discovered that the letters to the writer, who eventually died, were written by a man with a mental disorder. This demonstrates that the veracity of his words could not be taken at face value. In addition, the ships SS Eldridge and SS Andrew Furuseth were not seen in Philadelphia at that time. Furthermore, the second was never listed in the convoy of the first.
Truth or myth?
Believing in the history and events that occurred on the destroyer is a personal choice. If we analyze the story itself, there may have been experiments, but they were of a different nature. It is plausible to believe that there was a project designed to deceive the aggressor country during World War II. However, it is hard to obtain classified information from the military or to receive confirmation or denial of events. Researchers occasionally present new versions of the events on the destroyer. However, the majority of them are extremists who believe in conspiracies. Teleportation was not possible in the 1940s, nor is it today. As a result, there is no proof that the Philadelphia Experiment is not a product of someone’s imagination.