Health

Does a viral video offer evidence that children's faces are being "harvested" in China or anywhere in the world to be transplanted onto female recipients trying to look younger? No, that's not true: Both Mandarin subtitles and original voice-overs in the video discussed facelifts -- a much more common surgical procedure that doesn't require any other person's face. Face transplants…

Did Shaquille O'Neal throw Minnesota Governor Tim Walz out of O'Neal's restaurant, as posts on Facebook claimed? No, that's not true: This story first appeared on a website with a satire disclaimer. There is no evidence that O'Neal and Walz ever had such an interaction. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) on the Esspots website on September 7,…

Does a video on social media show a woman named Alexis Lorenze suffering a typical reaction to DTaP, meningitis and pneumonia vaccines? No, that's not true: An expert contacted by Lead Stories said he has "seen this many times" in patients diagnosed with the same rare blood disorder Lorenze claims to have. Another expert stated that Lorenze's physical response to…

Did the pop singer Pink delete all tweets on her X account in September 2024 after the Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking and racketeering indictment and arrest? No, that's not true: Pink deleted all her X posts in February 2024 due to toxicity she said she was receiving on the social media site. An article from February 2024 reported her…

Are Apple-A-Day buckets of horse electrolytes safe for human consumption, as a post on X claimed? No, that's not true: The company that produces Apple-A-Day buckets has stated it has not been tested for humans and that the Food and Drug Administration has not approved it for human consumption. A nutritionist told Lead Stories that people should not take animal…

Did Coca-Cola cut ties with Taylor Swift after she endorsed Kamala Harris for president? No, that's not true: This comes from a social media post that's clearly marked as satire. Coca-Cola told Lead Stories it wasn't true, and it's not even clear the company still had any contractual ties to Swift when she made her political plug. The claim appeared…

Did Taylor Swift cancel her Eras Tour dates after a "backlash" over her endorsement of Kamala Harris for president damaged ticket sales? No, that's not true: The site that reported that Swift had canceled "several upcoming tour dates" describes itself as a "one-stop destination for satirical news and commentary." The site's article about Swift is clearly labeled "satire." As of…

Did actor Jack Black vow to leave the United States permanently? No, that's not true: That story appeared on a website with a satire disclaimer. There is no evidence Black ever said such a thing. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) on the Esspots website on July 19, 2024, under the title "Breaking: Jack Black Vows To Leave…

Was a 2024 recall of instant ramen noodles linked to deaths of five children in the U.S., as a post on TikTok suggested? No, that's not true: At the time of this publication, one voluntary recall was listed on the Food and Drug Administration website for Sun Noodles products because they may contain undeclared egg white powder. Sun Noodles confirmed…

Does taking a shower prevent the skin from absorbing vitamin D from sunlight? No, that's not true: Medical experts confirmed to Lead Stories that vitamin D is made in living cells in the skin and thus cannot be washed off. The person giving this advice is Barbara O'Neill, a controversial naturopath who was banned from practice in Australia. The claim…