Something strange is happening to some of the world’s top defence scientists. In China, they are dying in car crashes in the middle of the night. In America, they are vanishing. All of them have worked at the cutting edge of military technology, including artificial intelligence, hypersonic weapons, nuclear research, and space defence.
These disappearances are fueling conspiracy theories and raising one question: Is it just a mere coincidence or a well-thought-out plot?
In Washington, at least 11 incidents involving scientists in areas such as nuclear technology, space research and advanced weapons are under scrutiny. The issue has reached political circles, with Republican Representative Eric Burlison suggesting a possible “foreign operation”.
“We are in competition with China, Russia, and Iran on nuclear technology, advanced weapons, and space. Meanwhile, our top scientists keep vanishing,” he wrote on X.
US President Donald Trump described the situation as “pretty serious stuff”, while expressing hope that it may be coincidental. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation.
Across the Pacific, reports from Chinese and overseas media point to at least nine deaths of scientists working in similarly sensitive sectors. Most cases have been attributed to accidents, sudden illnesses, or remain unexplained. The scientists were aged between 26 and 68.
One of the most closely watched cases is that of Feng Yanghe, a 38-year-old professor at the National University of Defence Technology, who died in a car crash in Beijing in July 2023.
Feng had been working on simulation models related to potential scenarios involving Taiwan. According to state reports, he was returning from a meeting at around 2.35 am when the accident occurred.
A government-affiliated science platform described him as having been “sacrificed while performing official duties”, a phrase more commonly used for military personnel. He was later buried at Babaoshan cemetery, a site typically reserved for Communist Party elites and state-recognised figures.
A researcher tracking Chinese military developments told Newsweek that aspects of the case appeared unusual, including the timing of the crash and the official description of his death.
“Feng was a mastermind behind AI simulations of potential Taiwan scenarios, and it’s very odd that the accident happened in the middle of the night,” the researcher said.
They also questioned the terminology used in official accounts, noting that a road accident victim would not typically be described as having “sacrificed” his life.
This is not an isolated incident. Several other Chinese scientists in critical domains have died in recent years:
- Chen Shuming, 57, a microelectronics specialist, died in a similar incident in 2018.
- Feng Yanghe, a military AI expert, died in a car crash in July 2023.
- Zhou Guangyuan, a chemist, died in December 2023 of unspecified cause.
- Liu Donghao, a data scientist, died after an unspecified accident in March 2024.
- Zhang Xiaoxin, 62, a space expert, died in a car accident in December 2024.
- Zhang Daibing, 47, a drone expert, died in January 2025. The cause is not disclosed.
- Li Minyong, a biomedical chemist, died following a sudden illness in November 2025.
- Fang Daining, a hypersonics expert, died after a medical episode abroad in February 2026.
- Yan Hong, a hypersonics researcher, reportedly died after an illness in March 2026.
Many of the scientists were working in fields considered strategically significant, particularly in military AI, hypersonics and advanced weapons systems.
“The areas are in hypersonics, in military AI, including swarming technology simulations… these types of tech seem to be overrepresented,” the researcher said, while adding that some cases could still be “complete accidents”.
There is currently no evidence that the United States, China, Russia, or any other country is carrying out a coordinated campaign to target scientists. However, similar concerns have surfaced in the past. Iranian nuclear experts, for instance, have been targeted by Israel over the years, allegedly as part of efforts to slow the country’s nuclear ambitions.
