The Shadow Frequency Blog: Episode 94 - Mike "Mad Man" Marcum, Time Traveler?

Posted on May 5, 2025 by Juniper Ravenwood

Welcome to the Shadow Blog, where we peel back the veil on the mysteries explored in The Shadow Frequency podcast. In Episode 94, host Matt Wilson takes us on a chilling journey into the life of Mike "Mad Man" Marcum, a 1990s Missouri inventor whose obsession with time travel blurred the line between fringe science and the supernatural. From a shimmering vortex on his porch to his eerie disappearance, Marcum’s story hums with a frequency that’s equal parts fascinating and unsettling. Let’s dive into the shadows of this paranormal enigma.

A Spark in the Dark

In 1995, 21-year-old electrician Mike Marcum wasn’t your typical small-town tinkerer. On his porch in Stanberry, Missouri, he was chasing something bigger—time itself. Using a modified Jacob’s Ladder, a device known for its dramatic arcs of plasma, Marcum stumbled onto something extraordinary. By tweaking a CD laser to reduce air resistance, he created a continuous arc that birthed a shimmering heat mark above it, swirling like a portal to another realm. Curious, he tossed a sheet metal screw into the vortex. For half a second, it vanished, only to reappear a few feet away. For Marcum, this wasn’t a fluke—it was proof he’d cracked the code to time travel.

Driven by obsession, Marcum scaled up his experiments, crossing ethical lines to fuel his vision. He stole six massive power transformers from St. Joseph Light and Power, wiring them into his home and causing blackouts across his neighborhood. Neighbors whispered of strange lights flickering from his windows, and the air around his house buzzed with unnatural energy. When police raided his home on January 29, 1995, they found a contraption that looked like it belonged in a horror film, scattered across his bedroom and porch. Marcum’s arrest only amplified his legend, especially after he claimed he was building a time machine to avoid jail time.

The Voice on the Airwaves

Marcum’s story might have faded into obscurity if not for his appearances on Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell. In 1995 and 1996, he shared his tale with a conviction that sent chills through listeners. He described the vortex growing stronger, capable of swallowing small objects and even animals—though he never clarified their fate. By his second appearance, he was 30 days from completing a “legal” time machine, powered by 168 electromagnets and a rotating magnetic field reminiscent of the infamous Philadelphia Experiment. When asked what he’d take through the vortex, his answer was haunting: just his cell phone.

Marcum’s raw intensity captivated Art Bell’s audience. He gave out his address on air, daring skeptics to check his setup on Google Earth. Then, in 1997, he vanished. No calls, no trace—just silence. The Missouri State Highway Patrol never listed him as missing, leaving a void filled with speculation. Did he step into his own vortex, lost in a dimension beyond our reach? Or was his disappearance something more sinister?

Whispers from the Past

The most spine-chilling theory came from a Coast to Coast caller who spoke of a 1930s California beach where a man’s body was found, mangled inside a metal tube, a device resembling a cell phone by his side. Could this have been Marcum, hurled decades into the past by his own machine? The story echoes the Philadelphia Experiment, a supposed 1943 Navy project that allegedly sent sailors through time. Some speculate Marcum was silenced by shadowy forces to keep his discoveries buried. The electromagnetic hum of his experiments feels like a warning—a reminder of what happens when you tamper with forces we don’t understand.

But not everyone is convinced. Skeptics argue Marcum’s “vortex” was likely an electrical anomaly, a plasma effect that tricked his eyes. The vanishing screw could have been a spark-fueled illusion, and his disappearance might be as simple as a move to escape legal troubles or public scrutiny. The 1930s body story lacks police records, and the cell phone detail feels like a modern embellishment. Yet, even this skepticism can’t dispel the eerie weight of Marcum’s story. His machines, built from stolen parts and listener donations, shouldn’t have worked. So why do the blackouts, the vortex, and the missing objects linger in our minds?

Why Marcum’s Story Haunts Us

Marcum wasn’t a polished scientist with a lab coat and grants—he was a kid from Missouri, driven by a vision that consumed him. His Coast to Coast interviews carry a raw, almost desperate energy, like someone who’d seen something he couldn’t unsee. The parallels to the Philadelphia Experiment, the unexplained blackouts, and his sudden silence create a narrative that vibrates on a paranormal frequency. Whether he was a genius, a madman, or something else entirely, Marcum’s story challenges us to question the boundaries of time and reality.

Is he out there, trapped in a temporal loop? Or is he watching, waiting to step back into our world? The shadows of his experiments still hum, daring us to tune in.

Join the Conversation

What do you think happened to Mike "Mad Man" Marcum? Did he unlock the secret to time travel, or did he stumble into something darker? Share your thoughts by leaving a voicemail at shadowfrequencypodcast.com, and we might feature you in an upcoming episode. You can also email us at shadowpodcast@protonmail.com (mailto:shadowpodcast@protonmail.com) or connect with us on YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook.

Don’t miss Episode 94, available now on all major podcast platforms and at shadowfrequencypodcast.com. While you’re there, check out our Shadow Blog for more deep dives into the unexplained, and consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee to keep the frequency alive. Plus, enter our May 10, 2025, contest for a chance to win—details are in the episode’s sign-off.

Until next time, keep your dials tuned to the strange. Stay shadowy, listeners.

This blog post is a companion to Episode 94 of The Shadow Frequency, produced with a commitment to exploring the unexplained while grounding our discussion in documented discoveries. All interpretations are speculative and intended for entertainment purposes.

Connect with Us

• Website: shadowfrequencypodcast.com
• Email: shadowpodcast@protonmail.com (mailto:shadowpodcast@protonmail.com)
• Social Media: YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and all major podcast directories

Support: Buy us a coffee at shadowfrequencypodcast.com