Jesse Michels

Early Career & Background

Jesse Michels is an American filmmaker, podcaster, and venture investor who has become a prominent figure in contemporary UAP disclosure and research. He holds a BA in History from Columbia University, where he was recognized as a Jon Jay Scholar. His professional background spans Google (where he worked in Operations within the AI division and coordinated Talks at Google events), and a significant role at Thiel Capital, Peter Thiel's family office, where he conducted venture investing and organized events bringing together figures from religion, politics, economics, and emerging technology. This unique combination of corporate tech experience, venture capital exposure to cutting-edge science, and deep curiosity about consciousness and alternative frameworks equipped him with an unusual toolkit for approaching unconventional topics.

American Alchemy & Methodology

In the early 2020s, Michels founded American Alchemy, a podcast and YouTube series that has rapidly become one of the most respected platforms for serious UAP investigation and frontier science. The show explores non-human intelligence, hidden history, psychedelics, consciousness research, and the intersection of technology with unexplained phenomena. What distinguishes American Alchemy from typical UFO content is Michels' disciplined analytical approach: he applies venture-capital due diligence methodology to UAP claims, treating evidence with the same rigor venture capitalists would apply to evaluating a startup's technological claims. This involves examining primary source documentation, verifying witness credentials, cross-referencing independent data streams, and maintaining skepticism while remaining epistemically open to unconventional possibilities.

His show employs sophisticated content formats that go beyond traditional long-form interviews—including curated "evidence maps" for major UAP incidents, timelines of historical documentation, comparative analysis of consciousness-related phenomena in contact reports versus psychedelic literature, and credibility meters for emerging witness testimony. This systematic approach has earned respect from both serious researchers and mainstream media audiences, positioning American Alchemy as a credible gateway for audiences skeptical of both UFO mainstream coverage and UFO "true believer" culture.

Key Interviews & Impact on Public Understanding

Michels' platform has featured prominent figures in UAP research, including David Grusch (the intelligence official whose classified-information disclosure accelerated official UFO acknowledgment), Gary Nolan (neuroscientist studying consciousness in the context of UAP), Jacques Vallee (legendary UFO researcher and venture capitalist), Avi Loeb (Harvard physicist and Oumuamua researcher), Richard Dolan (historian of UFO cover-ups), and James Fox (documentary filmmaker). These interviews have collectively reshaped public understanding of the UAP phenomenon by treating it as a serious scientific and geopolitical issue rather than entertainment. His Grusch interview in particular became significant in corroborating and expanding upon congressional testimony regarding alleged recovered non-human technology programs.

Michels has also appeared on major platforms including Joe Rogan Experience #2331, Chris Williamson's Modern Wisdom, Curt Jaimungal's Theories of Everything, and the Lehto Files, substantially widening his reach and establishing him as a trusted interpreter of complex UAP evidence for general audiences.

Silicon Valley Perspective & Ongoing Work

Michels brings a unique insider perspective on Silicon Valley's actual engagement with UAP topics. Contrary to conspiracy narratives about tech billionaires secretly directing UFO research, Michels has noted that widespread corporate interest in UAPs within the tech industry is far more limited and fragmented than popular theories suggest. His position as an investor with connections to venture capital circles gives him visibility into where serious tech-world attention actually flows—toward funding consciousness research, exotic propulsion concepts, and next-generation detection technologies rather than toward acquisition of exotic artifacts.

As of 2025–2026, Michels continues expanding American Alchemy's investigative scope, including re-examination of classic cases (such as the Varginha incident with filmmaker James Fox) and coverage of emerging evidence and disclosure developments in the post-AARO era. His model of "rigorous skepticism combined with epistemic humility" has influenced how independent researchers and mainstream journalists approach UAP topics.