Julian Brown, an Atlanta, Georgia, inventor who gained viral fame for claiming to convert plastic into usable fuel, vanished from social media earlier this month after a series of cryptic and alarming posts, leading some to suspect something had happened to him.
Though no official missing person report has been filed, Brown warned followers that he was being “followed” and “attacked” before he disappeared from social media. Brown’s last Instagram video, posted in early July, included a chilling on-camera message: “I’m certainly under attack. I can’t go into so much detail… I’m still working. I’m still building. Nothing is going to stop that.”
The caption read: “Something is happening keep me in your prayers please SCREEN RECORD THIS.” In earlier posts, the 21-year-old described being followed by black SUVs and helicopters. “I know I don’t have long to live,” Brown said.
Followers now point to these warnings as signs that Brown may have felt seriously threatened. His Instagram account, @naturejab_, which had over one million followers, has been inactive since.
No official missing person report
Julian Brown, the young inventor who created tech that turns plastic into gasoline, hasn’t been seen in over two weeks. pic.twitter.com/XkVPt81gJU
— SAY CHEESE!(@SaycheeseDGTL) July 28, 2025
Despite growing speculation online, Atlanta police confirmed to reporters that there is no active investigation into Brown’s disappearance and no official report of him being missing. Brown’s mother, Nia Brown, issued a brief statement insisting that her son is “safe,” though she declined to share details or his current whereabouts, citing safety concerns.
Brown rose to prominence through DIY videos showing off what he called “Plastoline,” a homemade system that allegedly turned plastic waste into usable energy sources like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
A self-taught engineer from metro Atlanta, Brown claimed to have spent years building and refining his devices using microwave-based pyrolysis and solar power. His goal, he often said, was to clean up the planet and offer a renewable alternative to fossil fuels.
Plastoline, however, was not an original invention. Pyrolysis — especially microwave-assisted plastic-to-fuel conversion — is a documented industrial process that’s been studied and tested in labs and small-scale factories worldwide.
While Brown did build a working prototype, experts caution that it’s unclear whether the device could scale to produce enough fuel to rival gasoline use at a national or global level.
One Reddit comment said in part, “I think what makes this less newsworthy than people realize is because what he’s essentially doing is the same as growing your own food,” referring to Brown’s supposed invention.
“He’s taking on a massive amount of expense,” the comment added, “in order to produce a very small return on what is essentially an inferior product. What I mean by that is that it probably cost more energy to do what he’s doing as energy he is making.”
The conspiracies continue
This one hits too close to home.
— PlasticGirlReporting
Julian Brown, our PlasticFuel maker is missing. He’s been missing since 7/7/25 check out these out! He also was working one some other products. The strangest part for me, is the video with his mother.
Where is Julian Brown?!
I’llhis TikTok… pic.twitter.com/wvSrCmC5Mi
© (@PlasticGirl1776) July 28, 2025
Brown’s mother’s statement hasn’t stopped conspiracy theories from spreading. On TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, some users claim Brown was silenced or disappeared by energy industry interests who saw his invention as a threat. Others speculate that he may be in hiding. Some followers, meanwhile, suspect a more personal explanation, or that Brown, overwhelmed by the pressure and online fame, chose to retreat from the public eye.
For now, the truth remains elusive. What’s clear is that Brown struck a nerve with a global audience hungry for climate solutions and distrustful of corporate power.
