On Halloween in 2020, a meme circulated on Facebook about purported features of Halloween 2020: Alongside a post suggesting Halloween “2020 could be a little crazy,” a screenshot of a text-based status update meme read: Next Halloween:
Search Results (1296) for: plane
FactCheck.org→ What Does Science Say About the Need for Nuclear?
While Sen. Bernie Sanders has said “scientists tell us” that it’s possible to go carbon neutral without relying on nuclear power, fellow Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, who backs the use of some nuclear energy, has said the da
Truth or Fiction?→ Seattle November 3 2019 False Flag Attack Rumor
Rumors of a “false flag” terror attack in Seattle on November 3 2019 spiked in popularity in specific shadowy corners of social media in late October 2019, although by that point, the highly specious claims were several weeks old. A Septem
Truth or Fiction?→ The Most Chilling Mushrooms in the World — the Charms of the Fungi Kingdom
On August 14 2019, the Facebook page “Freaked” shared the following post of the “most chilling mushrooms” in the world, a post that became popular ahead of Halloween that year: Above four purported examples of mushrooms (an
Truth or Fiction?→ ’71-Year-Old Man Waiting Up at 2AM to Welcome Three American Hostages’ Meme
In late September 2019, Facebook user Pedro Paul Saldaña shared the following meme, which claimed an appended image depicted President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One waiting to greet freed American hostages: The text on the meme read: A 71 year o
Climate Feedback→ Telegraph article on climate change mixes accurate and unsupported, inaccurate claims, misleads with false balance
SCIENTISTS’ FEEDBACK SUMMARY This article in The Telegraph attempts to discuss the science of observed global warming and the factors responsible. However, mixed in with some accurate factual statements are claims that give readers the impress
Truth or Fiction?→ Do People Ingest Five Grams of Plastic Per Week?
On October 15 2019, the Facebook page “Using Less Plastic” shared a meme which claimed that “a new study” had found that humans ingested an average of five grams of plastic per week, about the same amount contained in an avera
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking the October Democratic Debate
Summary We found several false and misleading claims in the October Democratic presidential debate: Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro claimed that the most recent jobs data show that “Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania &
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Columbus Set Out to Prove the Earth Was Round’
In October 2019, a number of memes about the legacy of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus circulated on Facebook around Columbus Day, among them a meme about the claim that he “proved” that Earth is round: In the above meme, the
Truth or Fiction?→ Pro-Life Art: ‘The Neverborn Child’ Meme
In early October 2019, the Facebook disinformation page “ForAmerica” shared the following meme, insisting that it shows a “pro-life sculpture” called “the neverborn child”: Captions added to the image and a statu
FactCheck.org→ Outburst at AOC Town Hall Was Staged
Quick Take A political group took credit for planting a woman who espoused “eating babies” to address climate change at a recent town hall event hosted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But some have still misrepresented the woman as “
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Woman’s Butt Implants Did NOT Explode While Working Out At Gym
Did a woman's butt implants explode while working out at a gym? No, that's not true: It is a hoax that has circulated on social media for several years in several versions. One story claims the explosion happened at the gym, while others say i
Snopes→ Discovery of 20 New Moons Puts Saturn Ahead of Jupiter
Twenty new moons have been found around Saturn, giving the ringed planet a total of 82, scientists said. That beats Jupiter and its 79 moons.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Barack Obama Did NOT Tweet About Asking Ukraine About Birth Certificate
Did former President of the United States Barack Obama send a tweet about asking Ukraine if they found his birth certificate? No, that's not true: the viral image making that claim is not a real screenshot of a tweet. An example of the image w
Climate Feedback→ Letter signed by “500 scientists” relies on inaccurate claims about climate science
SCIENTISTS’ FEEDBACK SUMMARY This letter presenting a short list of claims about climate change boasts a list of “500 scientists and professionals” who have co-signed it. The claims contradict or misrepresent the evidence uncovered
Truth or Fiction?→ Will 154,000,000 Pieces of Plastic from Christmas Crackers in the UK Wind Up in the Ocean in a Single Year?
In late September and early October 2019, a very specific claim involving Christmas crackers (a tradition involving devices called “party poppers” in some countries; they are made from cardboard and gunpowder, generally contain confetti or
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Scientists ‘Covering Up’ Global Warming Data?
Among the conspiracy theories bandied about by “nature”-themed blogs is the idea that scientists have conspired to gin up mass panics over the planet’s climate-warming emergency. One particularly hysterical claim was published by Nat
Truth or Fiction?→ Breaking Down States Where a ‘Trans Panic’ Defense Is Not Illegal
A graphic posted on a transgender-oriented website’s Facebook page does, for the most part, illustrate a particular form of transphobic courtroom discrimination. The post by “TransMusePlanet,” which has been shared more than a thousa
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Luisa Neubauer Is NOT Greta Thunberg’s Supervisor
Is Luisa Neubauer the "supervisor" or "handler" of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg? And does Neubauer's relationship with anti-poverty campaign organization One.org prove Thunberg is part of some "elite" plot? No, that's not true: Neub
FactCheck.org→ Viral Photo Falsely Targets Climate Strike Protesters
Quick Take A post on social media falsely claims to show litter left behind by Climate Strike protesters in London on Sept. 20. The photo is from a completely unrelated event in April. Full Story The Global Climate Strike, an international series of
FactCheck.org→ Meme Gets Israel Gun Laws Wrong
Quick Take An old meme has resurfaced, spreading misinformation about gun laws and school violence in Israel. Full Story A meme that spread misinformation following the school shooting that resulted in 17 deaths in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 has re-e
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Alaska’s Sea Ice Completely Melted, But NOT For First Time In Recorded History
Did Alaska's sea ice completely melt in the summer of 2019 for the first time in recorded history? No, that's not true: Alaska's sea ice completely melted previously in the summer of 2017, although the 2019 melting was completed at an earlier
Truth or Fiction?→ Online Disinformation Tries to Link Greta Thunberg with George Soros
As Swedish activist Greta Thunberg’s campaign for world governments to meaningfully address climate danger gained more attention, so did the amount of online misinformation thrown at her. For some social media users, that meant invoking far-righ
FactCheck.org→ Trump Retweets False Attack on Rep. Omar
President Donald Trump retweeted a post by comedian Terrence K. Williams that wrongly purports to show Rep. Ilhan Omar “partying” and “celebrating” on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The video was actually from a
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Maxine Waters Say 700 Billion People Will Lose Healthcare Coverage in a Trumpcare Bill?
On September 17 2019, the purported young conservative-aligned Facebook page “Turning Point USA” shared the following meme (archived here), invoking an old favorite trope about the supposed ignorance or stupidity of women of color in power
Lead Stories→ Fake News: JFK Jr. Is NOT Alive And Will Not Replace Vice President Pence as Donald Trump’s 2020 Running Mate
Is John F. Kennedy Jr. alive and will he make a public return to join President Donald Trump as his vice presidential running mate in 2020? No, that's not true: It is a cornerstone of a conspiracy myth promoted by QAnon followers who believe t
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This the ‘Newest and Clearest’ Photo of Pluto?
On September 14 2019, the Facebook page “Science Porn” shared the following image, claiming it was the “newest” and “clearest” photograph of Pluto: On Twitter, a space-and-science focused account shared the phot
FactCheck.org→ Yang’s Top-Gun Tale
Making a point about Defense Department waste, Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang related a secondhand story about a Navy fighter pilot who said that airmen routinely dumped fuel into the Pacific Ocean at the end of the fiscal year as a way
Truth or Fiction?→ Cornel Nistorescu 9/11 ‘Ode to America’ Editorial
On September 11 2019 a Facebook user shared an editorial credited to Romanian newspaper columnist Cornel Nistorescu. Alongside a photograph showing black smoke billowing out of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, the post was prefaced with comm
Truth or Fiction?→ Last Sunset 9/10/2001 Photograph
An image submitted to Reddit’s r/pics and r/interestingasfuck on September 10 2019 titled “Last sunset 9/10/2001” appeared without additional text or information, rapidly climbing to the top of the site’s r/all page on the eig
Truth or Fiction?→ United States Air Traffic on September 11, 2001
In September 2019, approaching the eighteenth anniversary of September 11th 2011, a Reddit user shared the following GIF purportedly depicting United States air traffic during and after the attacks to r/DamnThatsInteresting: U.S. Air Traffi
Snopes→ Does This Video Show US Air Traffic on Sept. 11, 2001?
Some 4,000 planes were grounded in the span of a few hours.
FactCheck.org→ Buttigieg Wrong About Climate Change’s Effect on Oceans
In making his case for taking swift action on climate change, Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg inaccurately said that “we could lose half the world’s oxygen because of what’s going on in the oceans.” Scientists say that
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Swedish Scientist Propose Cannibalism to Fight Climate Change?
On September 7 2019, United States President Donald Trump retweeted a Breitbart.com post that suggested a Swedish scientist had proposed that cannibalism was a viable solution to fight climate change: Swedish behavioral scientist Magnus Söderlund h
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Study Does NOT Warn Humans Will Go Extinct within 30 Years
Did a scientific study warn that humans will go extinct within 30 years? No, that's not true: A "policy paper" written by an Austrailian think-tank sounds a dire warning about a global threat to human survival on earth if climate change is not
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Students Did NOT Invent Bacteria That Eat Plastic From The Oceans And Turn It Into Water
Did two high school students invent a bacteria that eats plastic from the ocean and turns it into water? No, that's not true: When Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao were teen-aged high school students in 2012 they did identify a bacteria that breaks
Lead Stories→ Fake News: U.S. State Department NOT Tied To Child Trafficking Operation With Epstein
Was the U.S. State Department connected to a child trafficking operation with Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy accused sex trafficker who died in federal jail in August 2019, by a shared aircraft registration number? No, that's not true: The false
Snopes→ American Airlines Mechanic Accused of Sabotaging Flight
He said he was upset about stalled union contract negotiations and wanted to earn overtime fixing the plane.
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s False ‘Facts’ on the Environment
Just as CNN was beginning its climate town hall event, President Donald Trump tweeted a list of “8 facts” boasting of the nation’s air quality and carbon emissions reductions. Several of his “facts,” however, are inaccurate or
Truth or Fiction?→ Tim Allen ‘Trump 2020 or America Is Dead’ Commentary
In late August and early September 2019, a number of Facebook users shared “pearls of wisdom” attributed to actor Tim Allen; topics discussed included United States President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, the death of Ame