This has all the hallmarks of a nail-biting thriller: a self-taught innovator creates a promising plastic-to-fuel machine, dubbed Plastoline, goes viral on TikTok, starts receiving threats, and then disappears from the face of the earth. While Julian Brown's mother has now revealed that he is safe, the saga continues, imbuing a "breakthrough" aura to Brown's otherwise largely iterative contributions to the field of pyrolysis.
For the benefit of those who might not be aware, Julian Brown's Plastoline is a solar-powered, microwave-based pyrolysis machine that breaks down plastic into usable fuels such as diesel. Vancouver-based ASAP Labs found that Plastoline-derived diesel was "surprisingly clean" for a fuel extracted from plastic.
Of course, pyrolysis has been around for a long time. What sets Julian Brown apart, however, is his lack of association with Silicon Valley bigwigs. After all, Brown started his pyrolysis journey in high school, with nothing more than a welding certification. It is his grassroots origins that have made him an internet sensation.
This brings us to the core of today's topic. Julian Brown posted a disturbing video on his Instagram page on the 09th of July, declaring that he was "certainly under attack." Brown also called on his followers to "pray for him."
After posting this video, Brown disappeared, which spawned a veritable social media frenzy. Eventually, Dail Mail was able to reach Julian Brown's mother, who confirmed that the internet sensation was safe but added the qualifier that she could not provide any additional information "in the best interest of his security."
This statement has only added fuel to the speculative fire on various social media platforms, with conspiracy theorists convinced of a larger plot to neutralize the threat that Julian Brown's Plastoline supposedly poses to corporate interests, while those of a more cynical bent see nothing but self-serving propaganda to inflate the enigma around Brown's supposed innovation.
Meanwhile, Julian Brown remains in hiding and his social media followers continue to grow. At last count, Brown had 1.8 million followers on his Instagram page.
Do you think Julian Brown is in real danger? Let us know of your thoughts in the comments section below.
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