Is That a Dragon on Google Maps? The 2026 Leviathan Conspiracy Explained

Conspiracy theories can range from the fun to the fanatical, with some ideas falling somewhere in between. And while there are those theories that spin so far out of control that they end up becoming dangerous because of the misinformation that they spread, there are some that seem like they gain traction simply because they are good for a laugh.

That's exactly what appeared to happen with a 2026 Leviathan conspiracy that took the U.S. by storm in January.

Several people posted on social media about how a significant winter storm that was about to hit a large swath of the U.S. was actually part of a government cover-up, which was orchestrated to hide the fact that a Leviathan was rising from the ocean somewhere off the coast of Virginia.

The theory seemed to grow legs, so to speak, after people started sharing Google Map and satellite images that they say supported their claims. Here's what we know about the bizarre resurfacing of the Leviathan.

Before we go any further, it's important that you know what a Leviathan is. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, a Leviathan is part of Middle Eastern mythology, and it's described in the Bible as a multiheaded serpent of the sea that is slain by God, and then fed to the Hebrews in the wilderness. It is eventually used to represent Israel's enemies, but it can also be seen as a symbol of God's powers.

Knowing that, you may have a better idea of why people are saying that it's hiding in the sea.

Of course, people weren't exactly looking for the Leviathan when they spotted it. Instead, they were poring over weather maps that were warning residents of an incoming storm, which dumped snow, ice, and freezing rain over multiple states the weekend of Jan. 24, 2026. But, a Leviathan is what they said they found, and they believe that "the Leviathan is waking up near Virginia," which is what most of the posts about the odd image in the water said in their captions.

What that actually meant varied by user, though. Some people took to social media to welcome our new Leviathan overlord, with X user @eckhartsladder quote-tweeting another post about the creature with, "Honestly, would be so sick if Leviathan was real."

Meanwhile, others took the opportunity to educate, with X user @maimaibaby12705 pointing out that people had the location of the beast all wrong, which meant that the size of the Leviathan was actually bigger than the U.S.

Curious to see if you can catch a glimpse of the Leviathan for yourself so you can decide if you believe the stories? It depends on who you ask. On Facebook, one user says that the beast can be found at 57° 46' 13" S 36° 11' 53" W, " Next to the south 'pole.'"

Meanwhile, on TikTok, another person says that they spotted a smaller creature off the coast of the Philippines.

While it's clear that all of these Leviathan discoveries appear to rock underwater rock formations, it is fun to see how creative people can get when locating them and describing them to others, making it clear why this conspiracy theory went so viral in 2026.