Hoaxes are part of human history. For different reasons, at different times, some people have created a false event and have tried to convince others that it was a true event. Humans have believed unbelievable stories. Some hoaxes are funny and others are serious.

One famous hoax was about the Moon. In 1835, the New York Sun newspaper ran some stories that were supposedly reprinted from a non-existent science journal. These articles documented discoveries supposedly made by a real scientist, Sir John Herschel, from a new telescope in Africa. Sir John was actually in Africa at the time and was unable to read the stories that carried his name. The newspaper articles described Moon oceans, beaches, wild life and birds. One article had this immensely powerful telescope spotting 14 furry winged men! How big would a telescope have to be to sight individual beings on the Moon? It seems that questions did not pop into everyone's head! The story of men on the Moon was wildly popular. The Sun sold more newspapers that day than any other newspaper in the world. The articles continued to describe architecture and other details until the last installment claimed that the telescope had been left facing east and the Sun's rays had damaged the telescope beyond repair. Later, a Richard Locke confessed to writing the articles and the newspaper admitted it was a hoax. People were not angry; most people thought that it was funny and the Sun became an even more popular newspaper!

Another hoax has been called the grand science hoax of the century. In 1913, an amateur archeologist brought in some fragments of a human skull to the British museum. Remember, this was before the days of carbon dating. Found near an archeological site called Piltdown, this skull and jaw were soon known as "Piltdown Man". What made this find remarkable was that the skull had a huge brain cavity and a jawbone like an ape's -- but the teeth were worn down like a human's. This find was quickly locked away for safety. Unable to examine the evidence, scientists theorized that "Piltdown Man" proved that the human brain evolved first and then the rest of the body. In 1953, "Piltdown Man" was shown to be a forgery; the human skull was modern, the jaw belonged to an ape, and the teeth had been filed. The biggest mystery remaining around this hoax is: who did it? And why did they do it?

Some hoaxes have exploited myths. Loch Ness is a large lake in Scotland, and for years it was a quiet place. A photograph of a dinosaur-like creature with a long neck was published in 1934. This photo created a sensation -- promoting tourist visits and scientific expeditions that continue to this day. Sixty years later, one of the pranksters confessed that the photo had been created using a tiny homemade sea serpent and a toy submarine! The public reaction had been so great at the time of publication, that the pranksters had decided to keep quiet.

Some pranksters do strange things. For years, some wheat fields in England were mysteriously mowed in such a way as to suggest circles. Some people believed that the circles were alien messages, ancient symbols, or alien DNA. In 1991, two men admitted to mowing over 250 crop circles over the years. Why do you think they took the time and effort to make these crop circles?

Other hoaxes are more serious and frightening. In the middle ages, witch crazes in England and America resulted in witch hunts, witchcraft trials, and executions. Recently, one group says that Hitler did not kill 5 to 6 million Jews during World War II; they claim that Jews are making it up. They claim that the Jews are attempting to cultivate power through sympathy. Sadly, witches and Jews were killed.

What can we learn from hoaxes? We can learn the importance of consistently examining evidence and forming our own opinions. Look at the pictures yourself. Read the accounts by the witnesses. Evaluate the interpretations. Does it make sense? Is it logical? Is there consistency in the evidence? Are there any contradictions to the evidence? It is important that you draw your own conclusions. Always keep thinking!

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Teacher Lesson Plans: Hoax Happens