© Shutterstock

Questions without answers - The universe holds many mysteries. One of them is the existence of intelligent life on other planets. The theory you're about to learn more about says that there is intelligent life out there, and reveals some even more frightening things.

© iStock

Context - The year is 1943 and the United States is involved in World War II.

© iStock

Experience - According to reports published in the book, 'The Expanding Case for the UFO' by Morris K. Jessup (an astronomer educated at the University of Michigan), the U.S. Navy carried out an experiment known as the 'Philadelphia Experiment.'

© iStock

Teleportation - The theory says that the Americans managed to make the USS Eldridge destroyer invisible.

© Shutterstock

How did it happen? - The destroyer supposedly disappeared in Philadelphia in a flash of light with its crew aboard.

© iStock

Where did it go? - The theory states that the USS Eldridge was teleported to a naval base in Norfolk, Virginia.

© iStock

Witnesses - The incident was supposedly witnessed by navyman Carl Allen, who also reported seeing some of the crew dead, fused to the hull of the ship.

© iStock

Get rid of any record - The survivors of the experiment were said to have been sent to a psychiatric clinic. They say that the crew members were brainwashed to make them forget the incident.

© iStock

Einstein's research - According to the History Channel, Albert Einstein developed a project for the US army which would explain the phenomenon.

© Getty Images

Einstein's research - According to the unified field theory (UFT), an electromagnetic device could have been responsible. The US wanted to be able to cross the ocean without being noticed by the enemy who were setting mines to combat allied ships.

© iStock

Invisible - According to the History Channel, Einstein developed an experiment where a strong electromagnetic field was installed on the ship which would make it 'invisible' to radars and mines. But supposedly, in practice, the experiment had another effect.

© iStock

Letters - Carl Allen wasn't content to keep his experiences to himself and wrote to astronomer Morris K. Jessup.

© iStock

New investigations - Fascinated by the stories, Morris K. Jessup began new investigations that revealed some surprising things.

© iStock

Mysterious death - But before he could share the supposed findings, he was discovered dead in his car.

© iStock

Causes of death - The cause of death was officially ruled as if he had killed himself, but some claim he was murdered to keep him quiet. Could it be?

© iStock

Revelation - But in 1969, Carl Allen tried putting an end to the story, publicly stating that it was all a hoax.

© iStock

Revelation - The bombastic revelation was made in the office of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization in Arizona.

© iStock

Movie inspiration - The story served as inspiration for the film, 'The Philadelphia Experiment,' released in 1984. Years after its release, the film caused a new controversy.

© BrunoPress

A new beginning? -

Alfred Bielek appeared with a new testimony, claiming that the film made him remember living through the experience. According to Alfred Bielek, they weren't just transported to another place, they also traveled through time.

© Getty Images

Extraterrestrial life -

The accumulation of all this energy, according to Bielek, was responsible for opening a portal through which UFOs came to our planet.

© iStock

Proof? - Alfred Bielek went even further, saying that the US Navy didn't just know about it, but also managed to capture an alien.

© Shutterstock

Far from the end - Those who don't believe the conspiracy theory refer to objective facts to refute it. For believers, the answers are in the USS Eldrigde itself.

© iStock

Records - According to records, no strange activity was recorded and there is no record of the destroyer passing through Norfolk.

© iStock

But is invisibility possible? - There are advanced scientific studies on invisibility that have no direct relation to Einstein's theory.

© iStock

Airplanes -

According to scientists, airplanes can be made invisible to radar, but not to light.

© Getty Images 

Opinion -

So which side are you on? Are you a believer or do you reckon it was just a hoax? And if you had the chance to become invisible or travel through time, would you be brave enough to do it?

See also: Ruins and rubble: Germany post-WWII

© iStock