How a Conspiracy Theory About Missing UFO Scientists Went Viral in 2024

For weeks, every corner of the media—from fringe outlets to mainstream publications—has amplified claims that a group of U.S. scientists have vanished or died under suspicious circumstances, all allegedly tied to UFO research. The narrative quickly escalated to the highest levels of government, with President Trump instructing FBI Director Kash Patel last month to investigate the matter.

Yet the evidence supporting any connection between the missing or deceased scientists is tenuous at best. What’s more revealing is that this isn’t the first time such a conspiracy theory has emerged. A strikingly similar claim has circulated for years in alternative health and anti-vaccine circles, though it never gained traction in mainstream discourse.

Decades of a Similar Conspiracy in Alternative Health Circles

For at least a decade, natural health and anti-vaccine communities have propagated the idea that “holistic doctors” are being systematically murdered by a shadowy alliance of the Deep State and Big Pharma. The implication? These doctors possess knowledge so powerful that powerful entities would kill to suppress it.

One of the most vocal proponents of this theory now asserts that at least 100 holistic doctors have met this fate. The claims, which allege victims were silenced for knowing too much, have become an unquestioned tenet in some circles. They’re casually referenced in conference talks and newsletters as accepted fact—yet the story never went viral beyond these communities. It was never endorsed by even the most conspiracy-friendly president, nor did it receive the widespread, uncritical reception that the 2024 UFO scientists theory has garnered.

This divergence highlights how rapidly and thoroughly the media and political landscape have shifted.

The Missing Scientists Theory Gains Traction in 2024

The modern iteration of the conspiracy began gaining serious traction in early April. Among the most prominent figures linked to the claim is Major General William Neil McCasland, a 68-year-old retired U.S. Air Force officer and former astronautical engineer. McCasland, who held a senior role at a base long associated with UFO lore, was last seen on February 27 near his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, adjacent to the Elena Gallegos Open Space trail system.

His very real disappearance was soon woven into a web of speculative narratives by figures in the MAGA and conspiracy spheres, as well as tabloid outlets like the Daily Mail and New York Post. The Post has played a particularly aggressive role, publishing at least 14 stories that baselessly link unrelated scientists and public figures to the conspiracy. Among those targeted was Michael David Hicks, a 59-year-old scientist who previously worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Hicks died in 2023, and an early April New York Post article was the first mainstream outlet to tie his death to the conspiracy theory.

The article falsely claimed Hicks was a “NASA scientist who mysteriously died without any cause of death listed or autopsy,” suggesting his demise was part of a broader cover-up. In reality, Hicks’ death was ruled a suicide, a fact omitted from the sensationalized report.