Does the word "coronavirus" mean "heart attack virus" in Latin? No, that's not true: A translation shown in a video circulating on social media relied on the intentional misspelling of the word, which triggered Google Translate glitches. The claim appeared in a video published on Instagram on January 7, 2023. The caption said: @ericmoutsos_ if #you #go to #god #forsaken…

Did Alyssa Milano's "temper tantrum" over Elon Musk cost her $13 million? No, that's not true: This satirical article was published by a website connected to the satire network, America's Last Line of Defense, which clearly identifies its content as untrue and not to be taken seriously. The story appeared in an article published by dunning-kruger-times.com on January 8, 2023,…

Does each dose of the COVID-19 vaccine increase a person's chance of getting the COVID-19 virus? No, that's not true: While data from a preprint (not-peer-reviewed) study posted on December 19, 2022, suggests that the "higher the number of vaccines previously received, the higher the risk of contracting COVID-19," medical experts contacted by Lead Stories cast doubt on coming to…

Were there two military stars marking the ambulance that carried Buffalo Bills football player Damar Hamlin off the field on January 2, 2023, when he collapsed after a tackle during a televised game against the Cincinnati Bengals? No, that's not true: The two gold marks on the driver's side of the ambulance are not stars, but a covered external outlet,…

Is the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) introducing plastic as a new food group for Americans? No, that's not true: An FDA spokesperson told Lead Stories, "This claim is false." The video that makes the claim appears to be connected to an article from The Seekonk Reporter, a satirical news site. The claim appeared in a video of B-roll footage…

Does a set of online images prove that there is a "covert military base" on the planet Mars? No, that's not true: There have been no documented human missions to Mars, whether for military or other purposes, as of the date of this fact check, and a NASA spokesperson was not able to identify the images as authentic. The claim…

Did the World Economic Forum (WEF) or its founder and executive chairman, Klaus Schwab, tweet or say that "Jesus is the original fake news"? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that the statement is from Schwab or the WEF. The claim, widely disseminated on social media, originally appeared in an article on a website known for publishing fake…

Can websites like Quake Prediction "predict" an earthquake? No, that's not true: Scientists cannot predict when, where or at what magnitude an earthquake will occur. However, scientists can estimate the probability that an earthquake of a particular magnitude or higher may occur in a certain area within a specified amount of time. Such a forecast is not used to "predict"…

Can cranberry juice alone remedy urinary tract infections, also known as UTIs? No, that's not true: Doctors recommend antibiotics to treat UTIs. Experts don't discourage patients experiencing UTIs from using cranberry juice or other cranberry-related products, but agree that more research needs to be done. An obstetrician-gynecologist told Lead Stories that the type of antibiotic given to a patient depends…

Did Pope Benedict ask President Joe Biden not to attend his funeral? No, that's not true: According to a Vatican spokesperson, the wish of the retired head of the Catholic Church was to have a simple ceremony, and there is no evidence that Pope Benedict specifically excluded the U.S. president from the list of attendees. The White House told Lead…