Science

Does exposing seeds to human saliva change their DNA structure so that "there will be no disease at all when you eat those vegetables and fruits"? No, that's not true: While scientists can genetically modify plants using genetic engineering or intentional breeding methods, an expert confirmed to Lead Stories that exposing seeds to human saliva will not alter their DNA…

Does consuming an "expanded lemon and honey drink" that contains several herbal ingredients cure COVID-19? No, that's not true: At the time of writing, there is no known cure for COVID, along with other common illnesses like the cold or the flu. Furthermore, alternative treatments have not been shown to treat COVID effectively. The claim appeared in a reel (archived…

Does a video show a 1982 United States government program that was testing for "dimensional travel"? No, that's not true: The video is from a sci-fi filmmaker Kane Parsons. The footage is readily available on YouTube and is part of his series of found footage horror shorts titled "The Backrooms." The claim appeared in a video (archived here) published on…

Does New Zealand health data prove that 20 percent of vaccinated citizens died after COVID-19 vaccination? No, that's not true: The agency wrote, "We assure people there is no evidence whatsoever that vaccination is responsible for excess mortality in New Zealand and that they can continue to have confidence in vaccines." Two experts that Lead Stories spoke with independently confirmed…

Did German-born rocket engineer Wernher von Braun found the National Aeronautics and Space Administration? No, that's not true: The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on July 29, 1958, led to the formation of NASA. It was not the work of a single person or of von Braun, who did not work for…

Does the Apeel produce coating Organipeel contain an "unidentified coating" that is falsely labeled as organic and that could be harmful to human health? No, that's not true: Though it may be applied to organic produce, it is neither considered an organic product by regulatory agencies nor does the company claim it to be. Orangipeel is a coating used to…

Did journalists Peter Doocy or John Berman report that 100 earthquakes "just hit" Yellowstone National Park and that such earthquakes may lead to an "eruption"? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that either journalist reported such news. Additionally, a video mentioning such a report does not show any clips of either journalist saying that. The video also mixes…

Can tapping and squeezing the thumbnail and the area surrounding the thumbnail cause a "brain reboot"? No, that's not true: There is no credible information stating that this technique, attributed to reflexology, causes any significant change to the brain. A search of medical and scientific literature turned up no evidence that the action produces a "brain reboot." The claim appeared…

Did California approve Bill Gates' plan to make residents drink their own feces? No, that's not true: A headline by The People's Voice grossly misrepresents the regulations that were approved by California's State Water Board on December 19, 2023. The recycled wastewater would meet or exceed current drinking water standards, and the regulations have nothing to do with billionaire Gates.…

Did Dr. Mehmet Oz promote a "cure" for prostate disease that does not require surgery? No, that's not true: A representative for Oz told Lead Stories, "This is a fake post fraudulently using Dr. Oz's name and likeness." A link that accompanied a post making the claim on Facebook redirected users to a bogus website posing as NBC News. Also,…

Did Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's legal staff notify Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in late 2023 that 17,852 invalid 2020 votes were counted in Georgia's Fulton County? No, that's not true: The State Election Board told Lead Stories that Kemp's office forwarded a claim by one Georgia citizen to Raffensperger and to the state Election Board in 2022. Kemp's office…

Did Texas Children's Hospital announce in December 2023 that it would "no longer treat unvaccinated children"? No, that's not true: A hospital spokesperson told Lead Stories that this claim is "not true." Even if it were true, it would be illegal. Texas enacted a state law, effective September 1, 2023, that prohibited clinicians from refusing services to patients enrolled in…

Is rubbing your arms a proven technique to boost your immune system? No, that's not true: There is no evidence of proof from medical literature that this method can prevent illness. An expert told us they are not familiar with any studies that have substantiated the claim. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on TikTok on July 13,…

Does a video on social media accurately show a charging remote emitting dangerous levels of electromagnetic frequencies? No, that's not true: An expert told Lead Stories that the "video does not accurately depict exposure from electronic devices and employs pseudoscience to create unwarranted concern." They added that there are no known health effects from exposure to wireless devices like video…

Did the British journalist Piers Morgan reveal that he has developed Vaccine Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (VAIDS) and blamed it on the anti-vaccination community? No, that's not true: Morgan never said that he has VAIDS, which is not a real medical condition. This claim was made without supporting evidence by a prolific publisher of fake news. The article (archived here)…

Did Cambridge scientists "admit" that 25 percent of people vaccinated for COVID-19 now have "vaccine acquired immune deficiency syndrome"? No, that's not true: The scientific report that the claim is purportedly based on never mentions the term VAIDS or vaccine-acquired immune deficiency syndrome, which is not a recognized medical condition. Pfizer Media Relations stated that the online claim is "out…

Did the Food and Drug Administration say all cancer treatments "actually cause cancer"? No, that's not true: The agency issued a press release announcing that it is investigating only cases related to one specific type of drugs -- CAR-T therapies. Medical professionals who discussed the press release with credible media organizations said the chances of developing a second cancer as…

Did Moderna admit that its COVID-19 mRNA vaccines cause cancer? No, that's not true: Moderna made no such admission that its COVID mRNA vaccines are contaminated, nor that that they cause cancer or birth defects. There is no publicly available credible evidence that any mRNA vaccines cause cancer, a doctor of infectious disease told Lead Stories. A "study" the cancer…

Is the International Space Station (ISS) in a swimming pool? No, that's not true: The ISS is in space, orbiting Earth, contrary to images on social media referring to the ISS as "International Swimming Station". The images show NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory with a full-size mock-up of the space station. It includes a large pool with technology used for training…

Was a snow-covered jet frozen on an airport runway in Germany when it was meant to be headed to a "Dubai global warming conference"? No, that's not true: The plane was not scheduled to fly anywhere in the days before or after a massive snowstorm hit Munich, Germany. The jet apparently tipped over due to the weight of the snow…