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Historic hoaxes
and how not to be fooled yourself
(Page 3 of 3)
• Where did this come from, and is that source trustworthy? (If no source is given, that's a danger flag.)
• What do other sources say about it? Check with some websites you trust.
• Who produced this and why? What were their motives for producing it?
Finally, check the date: Was it published on April 1? (A dead giveaway: Is it dated "March 32"?)
Anti-hoax resources
If you Hear of something on April 1 that seems too weird, extreme, or amazing to be true, check it out on one of these rumor-bashing websites:
MuseumOfHoaxes.com is Alex Boese's site, which began as research for his PhD on the history of science.
TruthOrFiction.com is operated by broadcaster Rich Buhler, a longtime researcher of rumors and urban legends.
UrbanLegends.About.com is run by David Emery, a writer and an avid chronicler of urban folklore and hoaxes. (Be skeptical of insistent language with lots of exclamation marks, dire warnings, and capitalized words, Mr. Emery says.)
If you're wondering if an e-mail virus warning is bogus, try Vmyths.com, run by security expert Rob Rosenberger. Researcher and editor John Ratliff's BreakTheChain.org offers a lowdown on current e-mail chain letters.
How New Year's became April Fool's Day
The origins of April Fool's Day are unknown, though one popular theory goes like this: In 16th-century France, the start of the new year was April 1. It was celebrated with parties and dancing into the night. Then in 1582, Pope Gregory VIII introduced a new calendar for the Christian world, and the new year began on Jan. 1. But some people didn't hear about the date change, or didn't believe it, so they continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1. Others made fun of these traditionalists and played tricks on them. In 1752, Britain finally adopted the Gregorian calendar, and April Fool's Day began to be celebrated in England and in the American colonies.
The tradition of practical joking and mischiefmaking, however, dates back to ancient Greek and Roman times. On some holidays, for example, "slaves were allowed to play tricks on their masters and children could play tricks on their parents," says Alex Boese, author of "The Museum of Hoaxes" (Dutton, 2002). The purpose of the unruly holidays was to "let people release a bit of steam on one day of the year, helping to preserve the social order for the remaining days," Mr. Boese says.
Meanwhile, hoax trends have evolved through the years. In the 14th century, fake religious artifacts were the most popular hoaxes, says Boese. In the 18th century, hoaxes that poked fun at society's flaws were all the rage. For example, big-time hoaxer Benjamin Franklin published phony stories under a false name to mock the drunkenness of locals, the fashion of hoop petticoats, and the public's obsession with prophecy.
Today, Internet and media hoaxes dominate. "On April Fool's Day, some of the biggest hoaxers are companies who place fake ads in newspapers, hoping to gain publicity," says Boese. And thanks to the Internet and e-mail, now anyone can spread a hoax both cheaply and easily.
