Science

Do viral photos really show a father with Down syndrome named Ben and his son Noah? No, that's not true: According to several detection tools the images were generated using artificial intelligence. Several variations of the pictures are making the rounds, but none of the ones reviewed by Lead Stories are real. An example of such an image could be…

Did Italy withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, following the path of the United States? No, that's not true: As of this writing, the most recent version of the document, updated July 9, 2025, still names Italy as one of the treaty's participants. Neither the authorities nor credible media organizations reported the purported withdrawal. The claim appeared in a post…

Does a viral video authentically capture a gorilla lifting a baby to bring it to its mother? No, that's not true: A search for the clip's origin revealed it was initially published by an account specializing in AI generated content. A closer look at the post showed several abnormalities that are generally associated with the videos created by algorithms, not…

Did a viral social media video really show "incredibly rare white auroras" over Norway? No, that's not true: According to specialized detection tools the video was generated using artificial intelligence. It featured stars moving in the sky like dots in some kind of jelly instead of in straight lines, another clue the video was not a real recording. The video…

Did a widely-shared video show a submarine appearintg at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina? No, that's not true: The local Coast Guard unit told Lead Stories that no such thing happened. The viral reel was consistent with previously documented instances of a school of fish traveling together in the area, and that was confirmed to Lead Stories by South Carolina's Department…

Does a "Boeing Memorandum" shared on social media show a real "Stratoshade" trademark for a jet fuel additive to reduce solar radiation? No, that's not true: The image, purporting to be from the "Boeing Atmospheric Management Division" contains the name "Stratoshade" followed by a trademark symbol. However there is no such trademark in the United States Patent And Trademark Office…

Does a viral post of a white mushroom cloud authentically capture the June 2, 2025 eruption of Mt. Etna? No, that's not true: That image first circulated in 2015. Authentic photos of the 2025 eruption show clouds of a different shape and color, but no symmetrical white mushroom cloud. The image appeared in a June 3, 2025 Facebook post (archived…

Does a video shared on social platforms show an authentic Arctic woolly snake discovered by researchers in Antarctica? No, that's not true: The video was created by an artificial intelligence tool, not by a camera that recorded real people handling a real creature, according to an AI detection tool used by Lead Stories. A search online for information about the…

Is Harvard launching free college courses on basic U.S. government understanding and "how to recognize a dictatorship" or a "dictatorship takeover" in response to recent actions from the Trump administration? No, that's not true: According to a Harvard spokesperson the "edX" program has existed since 2012 and it takes about 12 to 18 months to create a new course, so…

Did Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. testify before Congress that "China is putting gay chemicals in the vapes, coupled with fruity pina colada flavoring agents"? No, that's not true: The video uses generative AI to imitate Kennedy's voice and mouth movements, but it ends with a screen of text that says it is a deepfake. The account on which the video…

Does authentic video show a Tesla cybertruck is not destroyed when a boulder described as a ton of rock is dropped on it? No, that's not true: The video originates from a social media account that specializes in generative AI fake videos. The same account features videos of a Yeti frozen in a block of ice, a giant spiked sea…

Does a viral video authentically show several cruise ships dumping raw sewage into the sea using huge pipes? No, that's not true: According to several AI detection tools the video was generated using artificial intelligence. It also contains several tell-tale signs of AI generation such as elements that blend into each other and bizarre features on the pipelines themselves. An…

Do white strands in the flesh of ripe tomatoes mean "Something weird is happening with American food"? No, that's not true: those are sprouting seeds. Gardening and farming experts at the University of Connecticut say the tomatoes are still perfectly safe to eat. Called "Vivipary", the internal sprouting happens in certain varieties of tomatoes, peppers, apple, pears, and some citrus.…

Did Florida statistics show that the Pfizer COVID vaccine "likely KILLED over 470,000 Americans" and "increased your risk of death by at least 36%"? No, that's not true: A draft research paper found only that those who got the Pfizer vaccine had a higher rate of death from all causes than did those who received the Moderna vaccine but it…

Does a viral image prove that a facility in Northern Pakistan experienced a radiation leak shortly after midnight on May 11, 2025? No, that's not true: What was described as an official government confirmation in posts on social media contained multiple inconsistencies and spelling mistakes, strongly pointing to forgery. The website of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which the "memo"…

Did a viral post on X.com authentically show a wave crashing over the rear deck of a yacht and washing "Eliteists" overboard at sea? No, that's not true: The video originates from a YouTube account that labels its material as having been made by generative AI. Clear evidence of the video's artificiality is visible, such as when humans suddenly appear…

Were there real media reports about Senator Chuck Schumer getting $16 million from NASA through a New Jersey based shell company? No, that's not true: The absurd story involving "zero-gravity-compatible scones, Belgian waffles, and mini-muffins" originated on a site that is clearly labeled as satirical. It is run by a man known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up…

Do viral videos prove the existence of a creature named "Sleeping Rose Mantis" that transforms itself into a flower? No, that's not true: No databases of scientific literature reviewed by Lead Stories showed any mentions of such an insect. The videos were initially published by an account that mentioned generative AI tools in their descriptions. The claim appeared in a…

Did a drilling operation in Yellowstone National Park unleash a 150-foot lava geyser in April of 2025, as a social media post claimed? No, that's not true: The "Casper Planet" page on which the story originated lists "Satire Street" as the Planet's address. The site prominently displays a disclaimer that includes this phrase: "Did we say this is satire? Well…

Did the United States Space Force and Elon Musk's SpaceX release a joint statement in April 2025, warning that an imminent revelation would "change your entire life"? No, that's not true: Contrary to social media posts, which also referred to a non-existent "Galactic Federation", neither entity made any such statement. In October 2024, an account that promotes the discredited QAnon…