Kissing Bug Panic (1899)

In the spring of 1897, a peculiar panic swept the United States as thousands reported sightings of the "Edison Star," a supposed giant apparatus by Thomas Edison designed to reflect light across the country or a rumored colossal light bulb. Despite the lack of evidence, people nationwide reported sightings of the "Edison Star," with towns like Portland, Maine, discussing "electric balloons" and St. Paul, Minnesota, experiencing a surge in sightings. The rumors originated from Edison's Menlo Park experiments, where he sent illuminated balloons into the night sky as part of his wireless telegraph work, sparking widespread imagination.