Julian Brown, a 21-year-old inventor from metro Atlanta, made headlines earlier this year with his groundbreaking device, “Plastoline.”
The invention uses microwave pyrolysis to turn plastic waste into fuel such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Brown started developing the device in high school, teaching himself welding and engineering skills.
His work quickly gained attention online. With over 1.7 million Instagram followers, Brown was named a 776 Foundation Climate Fellow and received a $100,000 investment from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. In May 2025, his fuel was tested at ASAP Labs and found to burn cleaner than regular diesel.
But on July 9, 2025, Brown posted a mysterious video on Instagram claiming he was “under attack” and told his followers to “keep their eyes open.” He then disappeared from social media for over two weeks, sparking online concern and conspiracy theories. Some speculated that his invention made him a target.
On July 28, Brown’s mother, Nia Brown, told DailyMail.com that Julian is safe but staying out of the public eye for security reasons. She did not share further information. This helped ease public fear but left many questions unanswered, especially after earlier claims about a “secret helicopter” following him.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign Brown had started to raise $16,000 for a warehouse and prototype saw a major boost. It now has over $30,000, likely fueled by the attention around his disappearance.
Despite his rising fame, some critics on Reddit argue that pyrolysis is not a new concept and doubt its long-term economic potential. Still, Brown insists his method is more efficient and scalable.
Julian Brown remains out of sight, and the full story behind his warnings and silence is still unclear.
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