Space Mission

Does a photo show that a bald eagle landed on top of the Artemis II rocket on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026, just before liftoff? No, that's not true: The bird is an AI creation, about three times larger than a real bald eagle. Online AI image detection tools also found it to be…

Does a satellite image show fires currently burning in the Middle East? No, that's not true: This satellite image dates back to April 1991. It does not show anything currently burning in the Middle East, but shows oil well fires burning in Kuwait during the Gulf War. The image appeared in a post on X (archived here) where it was…

Does a video show Erika Kirk's entrance at the Turning Point USA halftime show, wearing a green robe, short shorts and a midriff-baring top? No, that's not true: Erika Kirk never took the stage during the "TPUSA All-American Halftime Show". This video does not show Erika Kirk or the Feb. 8, 2026 TPUSA program -- it shows pro wrestler Charlotte…

Is a video of police threatening to arrest a man who volunteered to clean up an elderly person's overgrown lawn for free real? No, that's not true: The opening segment of the video showing a police officer warning someone to step aside or "there's gonna be problems" is from an incident unrelated to anyone cleaning up a lawn, according to…

Did Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton Michigan, who was identified as the Grand Blanc, Michigan LDS church shooter, regularly donate to the American Democratic Party ActBlue political action committee? No, that's not true: A screenshot circulating on social media shows Federal Election Commission records of donations made in 2025 from several people named Thomas Sanford, but none of them are…

Did Elon Musk buy a crumbling shelter in Los Angeles where he had volunteered as a teenager in order to rebuild it as Hope Haven, a sanctuary for homeless families? No, that's not true: Elon Musk never volunteered at a shelter in California as a teen because he was not in the USA as a teen. The deluxe private homes…

Did Finland test "the world's first engine-less superconducting maglev cargo pipeline, capable of moving cargo at over 500 km/h using no engines, wheels or tracks", as a social media post claimed? No, that's not true: As of August 28, 2025, no media organizations reported on the purported test in Oulu, Finland. The organization that was described as having developed the…

Did the Pentagon in May of 2025 approve acquisition of a "Qatari-built jet" to be the next Air Force One? No, that's not true: There is no aircraft manufacturing industry in Qatar that could make a jet of that size. The Pentagon on May 21, 2025 announced it had approved President Trump's plan to accept a Boeing 747 as a…

Did CNN broadcast a graphic touting Pakistan's supposed military success against India, including a caption that read "Pakistan Strikes India's Air Defense"? No, that's not true: A CNN spokesperson told Lead Stories it was a "fabricated image". India has denied Pakistan's claims of having inflicted significant damage on their S-400 air defense system. The fake CNN graphic was presented as…

The conclave to elect Pope Francis' successor is set to start on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. It is a centuries-old ceremony entrenched in secrecy and powerful rituals, which strikes the world's imagination. This year, 135 cardinals from 71 countries across the five continents (of which Pope Francis has appointed 108, and 12 come from countries that never had a cardinal…