If you have ever watched the show Stranger Things, you would know about the Upside Down. The Upside Down is another dimension that is basically a reflection of our world. The main character, Eleven, also has telepathic powers, meaning she can lift objects with her mind. Surprisingly, Stranger Things is actually inspired by a conspiracy theory, called the Montauk Project. The Montauk Project claims that the US government conducted a series of secret experiments on Montauk, Long Island. The purpose of these said experiments were to create psychological warfare techniques and exotic research, including time travel. The Montauk experiment stories seem to have originated with the account of Preston Nichols, who claims to have recovered memories that he once lost. He also claims that he is periodically kidnapped to continue his participation in this experiment. Nichols himself has degrees in parapsychology, psychology, and electrical engineering, as well as having written a series of books, called the Montauk Project, which describes the alleged experiments at Montauk. The book claims that the US government experiments in fields such as time travel, teleportation, mind control (Eleven from Stranger Things has this power), contact with alien life, and staging fake Apollo Moon landing. The book also ties the Montauk Project to the Philadelphia Experiment, which claims that the US Navy allegedly made a navy ship invisible from enemy radar and completely disappear all together. The Philadelphia Experiment claims the US Navy ‘teleported’ the ship all the way over to New York, killing seven sailors in the process. Both conspiracy theories are really wack, but at least it inspired the Duffer Brothers to create Stranger Things, which is an amazing show. If you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend that you watch it. It’s surprising that people believe these conspiracy theories, yet cool nonetheless.
~K
