Science

Is meningitis proven to occur frequently after the administration of seven U.S. vaccines? No, that's not true: According to the Institute of Vaccine Safety at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, most vaccines from the list on an Instagram post are not known to be linked to meningitis. Varicella and measles vaccines "very rarely" cause this condition. An image shared…

Were the tunnels discovered under a Brooklyn synagogue in early January 2024 connected to the former mansion of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein? No, that's not true: the New York City Department of Buildings stated that there's only a single 60 feet long tunnel under the facility, not nearly long enough to connect to the former Epstein property almost nine…

Can "unnatural chemtrails" be differentiated from an airplane's "normal condensation trails" because "contrails never last more than a minute" as asserted by a former pilot in a video? No, that's not true: The amount of time a plane's contrail is visible is dependent on the atmospheric conditions present where the plane is flying, the temperature and the humidity at that…

Did American physician and author Dr. Steven Gundry discover three "completely natural ingredients, and as a result, blood pressure disappeared forever"? No, that's not true: Gundry's publicist said that this post is a "total scam" and was not produced by his team. At the time of writing people who clicked the post's "Learn More" tab were taken to a page…

Does a video on social media show a portal -- an entrance way to a supernatural dimension, realm or world -- being opened up over Geneva? No, that's not true: There is no evidence an event like this happened in September 2023. Additionally, the original version of this clip is from a "video creator," not someone purporting to show a…

Was a video filmed on New Year's Day 2024 at the Bayside Marketplace in Miami showing panicked bystanders running and falling as a mysterious glowing "portal" opened near them? No, that's not true: This video was first posted on TikTok by a Russian-language paranormal-themed channel on May 17, 2023, months before the police response to a New Year's Day 2024…

Did COVID-19 vaccines kill 17 million people around the world during the pandemic? No, that's not true: Infectious disease experts told Lead Stories that the surge in deaths correlates with surges in coronavirus infections, not vaccination campaigns. The overwhelming majority of adverse events reported after vaccination are mild and temporary, and the benefits of vaccination in preventing severe illness and…

Did an upstate New York firefighter named David, along with his brother, a former NASA engineer, invent a safer, better and more energy efficient electric heater after David's daughter got carbon monoxide poisoning from a fire in her bedroom? No, that's not true: This detailed inventor's narrative, presented with the many high pressure sales tactics like special pricing and purported…

Does the childhood vaccine Vaxelis contain "toxic" levels of formaldehyde and aluminum? No, that's not true: While the six-in-one vaccine does contain trace amounts of formaldehyde, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists formaldehyde as a "residual inactivating ingredient" that is used to kill viruses or inactivate toxins during the manufacturing process. Aluminum salts are also used in Vaxelis…

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…