Apollo 11

Was a "Black Mona Lisa" discovered in a 3-mile-long spacecraft on the moon's dark side? No, that's not true: The origin story of this claim is based on a science fiction novel that some people have falsely suggested reflects an accurate representation of a secret lunar landing dubbed Apollo 20. The story's creator has publicly stated that the Apollo 20…

Did WikiLeaks in December of 2022 release Apollo 11 "moon landing cut scenes filmed in Nevada desert," proving that the moon landing never happened and was instead staged for filming right here on Earth? No, that's not true: The video in this post splices together a scene from a 1977 fictional movie, which was not even filmed in Nevada, and…

Is a swastika-shaped decoration on a Christmas tree in Latvia a Nazi symbol? No, that's not true: The symbol has been a part of the history and mythology of Latvia since the third century. A tree in Latvia this year was decorated with the "Lielvarde Belt and Spruce" that is a traditional Latvian Ugunskrusts symbol, which means "fire cross." The…

Does a map showing "Terra-Infinita" show a real place composed of 178 worlds that exist beyond the domed territory of the "Known Lands" of Earth, ringed by a giant wall of ice and guarded by "custodians"? No, that's not true: This detailed map is an illustration from a science fiction series written and published by Claudio Nocelli, also known by…

Does former President Richard Nixon's call without a string of cellphone towers prove that NASA never put astronauts on the moon? No, that's not true: A NASA spokesman explained to Lead Stories that the agency used massive radio antennas and ground tracking stations to connect Nixon with the astronauts. The nonexistence of cellphones in 1969, therefore, does not prove that…

Does a composite image showing the Space Shuttle Challenger commander Francis Richard Scobee and the CEO of Cows and Trees, Richard Scobee, prove that the 1986 space shuttle disaster never happened and the astronauts did not die? No, that's not true: The catastrophe was broadcast live, and its details were thoroughly investigated and reported to the president of the United…

Did Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin "admit we never went to the moon"? No, that's not true: The 2015 video interview from which a clip was taken to support this claim actually showed Aldrin answering a different question. The claim reappeared in a post on Instagram published on November 24, 2022. The accompanying text comment said: It's clear as day…

Is the Earth flat and surrounded by a transparent barrier that prevents rockets from leaving the Earth's atmosphere? Beyond this barrier, is there a firmament composed of water or a liquid-like substance? Does this explain why the U.S. government in 1962 launched Operation Fish Bowl -- to use nuclear weapons to try and break through that barrier? No, that's not…

Is it impossible to find a "real photo" of Earth taken from space that is not computer generated? No, that's not true: Seventy-six years ago, on October 24, 1946, the first photo of Earth was taken from a V-2 rocket 65 miles above the New Mexico desert. The rocket fell back to Earth as planned, crashing in the desert, and…

Do two photos comparing launch sites on Earth and on the moon imply that the Apollo moon missions were faked -- and, furthermore, suggest that the Earth is flat? No, none of this is true: These photos, taken 33 years apart, are real photos from two different NASA missions. The upper photo shows the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B,…