The 1897 Airship Mystery: Jules Verne, UFOs, and the First Great UFO Wave
Description
In the late 1800s, a wave of mysterious 'phantom airships' was reported across the United States—decades before the term 'UFO' even existed. Witnesses described advanced flying machines, unlike any known technology, manned by human-like figures—and sometimes stranger beings. Were these secret prototypes, mass delusions… or something beyond human understanding?
In this episode, we explore the eerie parallels between these sightings and Jules Verne’s Robur the Conqueror, published years earlier. Was Verne a visionary, or did he have access to hidden knowledge? We also examine theories linking these events to later UFO phenomena and the controversial idea that such manifestations may be part of a broader, shape-shifting phenomenon—one that interacts with humanity’s collective beliefs.
Were the phantom airships the first modern UFO mystery? Or proof that the phenomenon is far older—and far weirder—than we think?
United States
