April 18, 1995: Building a Time Machine - "Mad Man" Marcum

Mad Man Marcum, a 21-year-old Missouri factory worker, joins Art Bell to describe his backyard attempts at building a time machine. Marcum explains how a simple Jacob's Ladder project spiraled into something extraordinary when he noticed a strange circular vortex forming above the electrical arc. After throwing a sheet metal screw into the shimmering field, he watched it vanish and reappear moments later on the table below. Determined to replicate the effect on a larger scale, Marcum stole six power company transformers capable of generating tens of thousands of volts and constructed a massive version on his back porch. The experiment produced an 18-inch spark gap powerful enough to brown out his small town of Stanbury, drawing the attention of police and landing him in jail.

In a remarkable twist, the arresting officer calls into the program live to confirm the story. Callers flood the phone lines offering Marcum transformers, technical advice, and encouragement. Fresh out of jail and already planning his next experiment, Marcum represents the fearless curiosity that drives amateur science into uncharted territory.