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5. The Philadelphia Experiment

Some say the United States Navy attempted a dangerous experiment to cloak a ship that resulted in horrifying injuries after the vessel mysteriously vanished, and then reappeared at the dock. Part of this enduring urban legend inspired the plot of Stranger Things, and its stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow. This week’s legend is: The Philadelphia Experiment.

Show Notes header in green font for the section with references and works cited for all research from that episode

  • “What Is the True Story of the Philadelphia Experiment?” Discovery UK, 20 May 2022, www.discoveryuk.com/mysteries/what-is-the-true-story-of-the-philadelphia-experiment/ 

  • Department of Defense. The Philadelphia Experiment. Naval Historical Center, 11 Mar. 1999, archive.org/details/PhiladelphiaExperiment 

  • Jessup, Morris K. “Varo Edition”: The Case for the Unidentified Flying Object. Office of Naval Research, 2003, cassiopaea.org/cass/Varo-Jessup.pdf 

  • “Philadelphia Experiment.” The Skeptic’s Dictionary, 21 Nov. 2015, skepdic.com/philadel.html 

  • Lewis, Frank. “The Where Ship? Project.” Philadelphia City Paper, 19 Aug. 1999, web.archive.org/web/20120624005111/archives.citypaper.net/articles/081999/news.cb.ship.shtml 

  • Adams, Cecil. “Did the U.S. Navy Teleport Ships in the Philadelphia Experiment?” The Straight Dope, 23 Oct. 1987, www.straightdope.com/21341696/did-the-u-s-navy-teleport-ships-in-the-philadelphia-experiment 

  • Abreu, Kristine De. “Exploration Mysteries: The Philadelphia Experiment.” ExplorersWeb, 10 Feb. 2025, explorersweb.com/exploration-mysteries-the-philadelphia-experiment/ 

  • Dunning, Brian. “The Real Philadelphia Experiment.” Skeptoid Media, 24 Dec. 2006, skeptoid.com/episodes/16 

  • Corbeil, Shannon. “This Is the Truth behind WWII’s Creepy Philadelphia Experiment.” Military.com, 4 May 2020, www.military.com/off-duty/2020/05/04/truth-behind-wwiis-creepy-philadelphia-experiment.html 

  • Coon, John. “The Philadelphia Experiment.” Strange New Worlds, 21 June 2024, newworlds.substack.com/p/the-philadelphia-experiment 

  • Roos, Dave. “How the Philadelphia Experiment Worked.” HowStuffWorks, people.howstuffworks.com/philadelphia-experiment.htm 

  • The Lore Lodge. “The Insane Story of the Philadelphia Experiment.” YouTube, 10 Feb. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY2uuVc8gJI 

  • The History Channel. “The UnXplained: Time & Space WARPED by Philadelphia Experiment (Season 6).” YouTube, 27 Oct. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4YDw9x6s6c 

 

  

**Spoiler Alert: The links below contain spoilers from Stranger Things Season 5, and the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow**

  

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