In December 1948, the Australian press got hold of a mystery and a drama that would last for almost 70 years.  What follows is the article that started it all…

Headline: DEAD MAN FOUND LYING ON SOMERTON BEACH

     The fully clothed body of a man was found on the beach at Somerton, opposite the Crippled Children’s Home, at 6.30 a.m. today. Up to noon police had no clue to his identity.

     The body had not been in the water.

     The man was lying on his back against the sea wall. The legs were crossed, and death appeared to have occurred while the man was sleeping.

     A thorough search of his pockets revealed no papers or anything that would give a clue to his name.

     The man is thought to have been about 40. He was 5 ft. 11 in. in height, and well built.

     He was clean-shaven, with fair hair slightly grey over the temples, hazel eyes, and was wearing a grey and brown double-breasted coat, brown trousers, socks, and shoes, and a brown knitted woolen pullover, white shirt and collar, and red-white-and-blue tie.

     The discovery was made by Mr. John Lyons, jeweler, of Whyte road, Somerton, who called Constable Moss, of Brighton, and Det. Strangway.

     World Codex is a brand-new book series, of which this is the first installment. Each book will take advantage of a different motif and thematic flavor. The subject matter in Codex book 1 ranges from historical fact, as illustrated in "The Somerton Man," to science fiction, as displayed by "Beyond Proxima." The style of the book incorporates colored graphics to enhance the stories through visual appreciation; this format is intended to better capture the attention of the reader. To further enrich the reader's experience, sections of the book are interactive with the World Codex website.

     This aspect of World Codex is exemplified by the solution to the Stonehenge Cipher Challenge, and a revelatory secret which is hidden in plain sight for Codex Club Members (CCM) only. Integral to the movement toward a cutting-edge format, the conventional table of contents is augmented by a Content Welcome Page, or CWP, to better mirror the website navigation page.  Topics presented range from unsolved mysteries to scientific breakthroughs, with the exploration of trailblazing concepts throughout.

My name is RW Gates; it is my sincerest wish that World Codex will entertain, enlighten, and create intrigue for all those who are willing to challenge the parameters of everyday reality. Included within this series of books will be several previously unpublished works explicitly placed to be world-altering by their nature and design. Between the Codex pages are many accounts of events that have never before been brought to light or explored by the reading world as a whole. The World Codex staff has worked diligently to illustrate the impetus and inspiration for its development, as well as to captivate the imagination of each and every reader who delves into its offerings. World Codex has grown into an extensive research project that I have supported and facilitated for more than a decade now. I feel that the time has finally come to share its revelations with the public at large. The stories and documented accounts that are pressed upon its pages run the gamut from thought-provoking and illuminating exposés to tales of mystery and drama. They have been collected, collated, and compiled by a concerted network of dedicated individuals, who have worked tirelessly to bring this literary publication to the world stage.