Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Daredevil 'Mad' Mike Hughes Dies In Attempt To Prove Earth Is Flat After Homemade Rocket Crashes In California

Daredevil 'Mad' Mike Hughes Dies In Attempt To Prove Earth Is Flat After Homemade Rocket Crashes In California
CBS Evening News/YouTube

Daredevil "Mad" Mike Hughes was killed on Saturday after launching himself in a homemade, steam-powered rocket.

Hughes was a flat Earth conspiracy theorist and was well-known for riding in his self-built steam rockets in order to disprove the Earth's sphericity.


Supporters said his rocket crash-landed shortly after takeoff near Barstow, California while filming for the Science Channel series, Homemade Astronauts during which Hughes was attempting a "cosmic quest to explore the final frontier on a shoestring budget."

He was 64.

You can watch the news report of the tragic news, here.

youtu.be


Hughes and his business partner Waldo Stakes built the steam-powered rocket that was expected to launch 5,000 feet into the air.

But footage capturing the crash landing revealed a parachute being separated from the rocket moments after takeoff.

The launch was meant to be a first step towards building awareness for a more ambitious mission.

The duo wanted to eventually build a rocket that would take Hughes 62 miles into the sky to the edges of the Earth's atmosphere.

Hughes acknowledged the risks involved to prove the Earth was flat.

In November 2017, he told the Associated Press:

"It's scary as hell. But none of us are getting out of this world alive."

Producers of Homemade Astronauts issued a statement announcing the tragic news.

"Michael 'Mad Mike' Hughes tragically passed away today during an attempt to launch his homemade rocket."
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time. It was always his dream to do this launch and Science Channel was there to chronicle his journey."

How his maladroit mission was sanctioned is anybody's guess.


People tried to make sense of the disastrous mission.






Few saw a silver lining in the wake of his death.


Hughes first made headlines in March 2018 after surviving a crash landing in the Mojave Desert.

He had propelled himself about 1,875 feet into the air on a self-built rocket near Amboy, California using a mobile home as a makeshift ramp.

Hughes commented on the crashed rocket at the time:

"This thing wants to kill you 10 different ways."

That same year, he announced he was planning on running for governor of California.

In 2002, the former limousine driver set a Guinness world record with a 103-foot jump in a Lincoln Town Car stretch limousine.

There had been no other reported injuries from Saturday afternoon's crash.

More from Trending

Jesse Watters
Fox News

Jesse Watters Dragged After Adding Another Mind-Boggling Rule For 'Real Men'

Fox News host Jesse Watters, who is apparently an authority of what it means to be a manly man, gave jazz hands to make a point about how "real men" should or shouldn't wave.

The target of his ridicule was Tim Walz, the enthusiastic Democratic Minnesota governor and vice presidential candidate who often greets the public by raising both hands in the air to wave.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of crowd at town hall and Rep. Mike Flood
@MorePerfectUS/X; KETV NewsWatch 7

GOP Rep. Goes Viral For His Response To Crowd Chanting 'Tax The Rich' At Town Hall

Nebraska Republican Representative Mike Flood was criticized following his incredulous response to a crowd that chanted "Tax the rich!" during a town hall meeting.

The Columbus High School auditorium hosted the town hall on Tuesday evening, drawing "nearly 380" attendees, according to local network KETV Omaha. The event was lively, with Flood facing both sharp criticism over Trump administration policies and some appreciation for showing up in person.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Awkward Typo In Elon Musk's Bizarre 'Education Department' Trump Meme Is A Total Self-Own

Billionaire Elon Musk was widely mocked after he celebrated President Donald Trump's executive order to begin to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) by posting a meme of Trump at the department's grave, only for an awkward misspelling to get all the attention.

Polling indicates that eliminating the Education Department is largely unpopular, with 60% of registered voters opposing the move, according to a Quinnipiac University survey conducted March 6-10. Support stands at 33%, with opposition particularly strong among Democrats—98% oppose it, while just 1% support it.

Keep ReadingShow less
JB Pritzker; Donald Trump
Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Dem Governor Reveals Trump's Bonkers Demand In Exchange For Equipment During COVID

Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker revealed during a speech this week that he clashed with President Donald Trump during the first Trump administration after Trump promised necessary medical equipment during the COVID pandemic on the condition that Pritzker praise him publicly.

Five years ago, the United States was grappling with the initial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country had entered shutdowns that had severe economic consequences, leaving businesses and industries on the brink of collapse.

Keep ReadingShow less
Scrabble tiles spelling the word scam
Scam spelled with scrabbles on a wooden table

People Break Down How They Realized An Entire Industry Was A Total Scam

We unfortunately live in a world where scams are on the rise.

Thankfully, some of them are pretty easy to detect, such as an automated call from the IRS telling you a warrant is out for your arrest, or an email claiming to be from Amazon or the USPS asking for your credit card information, only to look closer and see the email address is a yahoo account.

Keep ReadingShow less