A young inventor from the US has left his millions of social media followers concerned after disappearing in the wake of a cryptic post claiming he was 'under attack'.
Julian Brown, from Atlanta, hasn't been heard from since 9 July, since posting a now-viral clip suggesting that he'd noticed some 'very odd stuff going on'.
What did Julian Brown invent?
The youngster gained notoriety for his groundbreaking scientific work, which saw him invent 'plastoline' - a device that turns plastic waste into fuels like gasoline and diesel.
At just 21, the science whiz has created a device which could prove to be a game-changer for the whole planet, which has certainly won him a lot of environmentally-conscious fans online, boasting 1.8 million followers on his Instagram page.
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However, they are now worried for Brown's safety after nearly three weeks since his last post, in which he made some worrying claims about his own personal safety.
What was Julian Brown's cryptic message?
He said: “Alright, listen everybody. I can’t go into too much detail, but there is some very, very odd stuff going on. I’m certainly under attack right now in many different ways.
“I just want everybody to know, so just kind of have your eyes open. I have my eyes open, but there is a lot going on. I’m still working, I’m still building – nothing is going to stop that. But I’m just telling you guys right now, be on the lookout because I’m under attack."
While most people would agree that turning plastic waste into a sustainable energy source is a brilliant thing for the planet, it's easy to see how Brown might have made some enemies, particularly among big oil companies who make billions from their energy source, despite the significant carbon footprint.
Where is Julian Brown now?
Although Brown's mother Nia has reassured fans that he is 'safe', her statement does little to ease concerns that the 21-year-old is in some sort of trouble and may well be being targeted by higher-ups who aren't as keen on his environmentally-friendly invention.
She said: “I can confirm Julian is safe, but in the best interest of his security, I'm not able to provide any more information."
Despite being just 21, Brown has already founded his own company NatureJab, received a $100,000 grant from Reddit owner and husband of Serena Williams Alexis Ohanian and raised another $30,000 through a GoFundMe, as he seeks to create the world's first continuous, solar powered, microwave pyrolysis reactor.
This device would help to streamline the process of converting waste materials into more valuable products like fuel or chemicals, something which it is fair to say the world desperately needs.
James Moorhouse