The Original Alien Craze: When People Believed in Martians

At the turn of the 20th century, millions of Americans, including elite scientists, major newspapers, and cultural icons, were convinced that Mars was home to an advanced civilization.

In this episode, Michael Shermer speaks with award-winning science journalist David Baron about one of the most astonishing episodes in scientific-cultural history. Blurry telescopes, mistranslated words, and persuasive personalities transformed speculation into accepted fact, while more cautious scientists struggled to be heard.

The discussion covers Percival Lowell’s Martian canals, Nikola Tesla’s claim to have detected signals from another planet, and the role of mass media and early science fiction in fueling public belief.

The episode also connects this forgotten moment to present-day debates about UFOs, alien megastructures, and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, raising broader questions about how scientific ideas spread and why some claims capture the public imagination.

David Baron is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and author. A former science correspondent for NPR, he has also written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Scientific American, and other publications. David recently served as the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology, Exploration, and Scientific Innovation. His new book is The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze that Captured Turn-of-the-Century America.