Buzz
This compilation explores some remarkable inventions from history that have either been lost or concealed. While some may raise doubts, most of these innovations are ones we would surely love to uncover and understand better in today’s world. Keep an open mind, as some entries have gained notoriety due to their connection with conspiracy theories. Feel free to share other examples of lost or suppressed inventions in the comments section.
10. Greek Fire
Greek fire was a highly effective incendiary weapon employed by the Byzantine Empire, mainly in naval warfare. Its unique ability to burn even on water made it particularly dangerous. The exact ingredients and methods of production were closely guarded military secrets, so much so that the formula was eventually lost and has remained a subject of intrigue and speculation. Despite the intense focus on uncovering the secret formula, Greek fire is best understood as a multifaceted weapon system that required the cooperation of all its components to function effectively.
9. Orgone - Wilhelm Reich
Orgone energy is a theoretical energy form introduced in the 1930s by psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich. He suggested that orgone was a physical manifestation of the Freudian concept of libido, and believed it to be a universal bioenergetic force that underpins and explains many observable phenomena. Reich invented the 'orgone accumulator,' a device used for clinical trials and experiments. In the 1950s, the FDA began intensively investigating healthcare providers offering treatments outside of mainstream acceptance, especially those criticized by the American Medical Association. Reich became one of the therapists targeted by these investigations. On February 10, 1954, the U.S. Attorney for Maine, representing the FDA, filed a lawsuit to prevent the interstate distribution of orgone accumulators and to ban some of Reich’s writings. The court ruled that all accumulators and their components be destroyed, along with any materials detailing their use. Furthermore, ten of Reich’s books that referenced orgone energy were banned unless the references to orgone were removed.
8. Perpetual Motion - Viktor Schauberger
Schauberger and his work have become central to an internet-driven conspiracy theory, which claims he invented free energy or perpetual motion devices, and that these innovations were allegedly suppressed by the U.S. government. While perpetual motion devices are physically impossible due to their violation of the law of conservation of energy, Schauberger never claimed to have created such machines. Instead, he stated that he harnessed the Earth's natural forces. After World War II, Schauberger was captured by U.S. intelligence agents and detained for 9 months. His documents and prototypes were confiscated, and he was interrogated about his wartime activities.
7. Ozone Therapy
Many individuals, including various doctors and biochemists, believe that ozone possesses extraordinary healing abilities. The development of advanced medical ozone generators has only recently made it possible to explore the mechanisms, actions, and potential risks of ozone through clinical trials. Despite anecdotal reports suggesting that ozone therapy has led to remissions in several diseases, the medical community in English-speaking countries does not officially support the use of ozone as a therapy. In fact, most U.S. states prohibit the sale of ozone generators, their medical application, and even research into ozone therapy, meaning that doctors who use or prescribe ozone therapies risk losing their medical licenses.
6. Anti-Gravity Device - Thomas Townsend Brown
In 1956, the aviation industry journal Interavia reported that Thomas Townsend Brown had made significant strides in the field of anti-gravity and electro-gravitic propulsion research. Major U.S. aerospace companies had also become involved, and by 1957, the topic may have been classified. Though the phenomenon Brown discovered has been verified by many other scientists, his work was contentious because he, along with others, believed this effect could potentially explain the mechanics of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Since then, Brown’s research has sparked global interest, with hobbyists recreating his early experiments using “lifters” powered by high-voltage electricity.
5. Cold Fusion Device - Eugene Mallove
Eugene Mallove was a prominent advocate for cold fusion research. He wrote the book *Fire from Ice*, which discusses the 1989 announcement of table-top cold fusion by Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann at the University of Utah. The book claims that the team achieved a “greater-than-unity” energy output in their experiments, which was allegedly replicated multiple times. Mallove argued that these results were intentionally suppressed through an organized campaign of ridicule from mainstream physicists. On May 14, 2004, Mallove was fatally beaten in Norwich, Connecticut by an unknown assailant. Some suspected his violent death was linked to the controversial nature of his work.
4. Water Fuel Cell - Stanley Meyer
Stanley Meyer was granted nine patents related to his invention of a “water-powered” car. However, he was later sued by two investors, and the court found Meyer guilty of committing “gross and egregious fraud,” ordering him to repay the $25,000 invested. After his unexpected death, an autopsy revealed that he died from a cerebral aneurysm. Despite this, Meyer’s supporters maintain that he was murdered by forces such as ‘Big Oil,’ Arab death squads, Belgian hitmen, or even the U.S. Government, in order to suppress his groundbreaking inventions.
3. Chronovision - Father Marcello Pellegrino Ernetti
Father Ernetti's life is intriguing not only for his role as an exorcist in the Venice area, but also for his involvement in the creation of the 'chronovision.' In the 1960s, he reportedly claimed to have built a device capable of viewing time itself in the 1950s, as part of a team that allegedly included Nobel laureate Enrico Fermi and Wernher von Braun. This device, called the Chronovisor, was said to have the ability to see and hear events from the past. According to Ernetti, every object emits luminous energy and sound, which are recorded in the environment. By using the chronovisor, these energies could be tapped to recreate the images and sounds of specific historical events. Father Ernetti claimed that through the device, he had witnessed a performance of the now-lost tragedy *Thyestes* by Quintus Ennius in Rome, dating back to 169 BC. He also allegedly saw the crucifixion of Christ. Before his death in 1994, Ernetti confessed that the only existing chronovisor machine was destroyed at a Vatican meeting attended by all involved in the project.
This article is licensed under the GFDL because it contains quotations from Wikipedia.
2. Flexible Glass - Unknown
Flexible glass is a legendary, lost invention from the reign of Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar (14 CE - 37 CE). According to Isadore of Seville, the inventor of this technique presented a flexible glass drinking bowl to Caesar, who then threw it to the ground. Rather than shattering, the bowl merely dented. The inventor was able to repair the dent with a small hammer. Fearing the potential loss of value in gold and silver, Caesar, upon hearing that the inventor alone knew the technique, had the man executed by beheading.
1. Earthquake Machine - Nikola Tesla
While experimenting with mechanical oscillators, Nikola Tesla is said to have unintentionally caused a resonance that affected multiple buildings, leading to complaints from local residents. As the frequency increased, he accidentally matched the resonance frequency of his own building. Realizing the danger, Tesla was forced to use a sledgehammer to stop the experiment just as the police arrived, stunned by the events. In their 60th episode, the popular *MythBusters* show revisited Tesla's claim of creating an 'Earthquake Machine.' They tested mechanical resonance on a traffic bridge—modern-day structures built to withstand such forces. While their oscillator caused a steel I-beam to deflect several feet in both directions and the bridge's shaking was felt from a distance, there were no catastrophic effects. It's important to note that in Tesla's time, buildings were not designed to endure such resonances.
