U.S.—It can be hard to discern fact from fiction in the age of the internet. Clickbait abounds in a market where getting eyes on ads supersedes the need for truth or journalistic integrity. Thankfully, there are resources to help us tell fact from fiction. The intrepid fact-checkers at Snopes.com. Snopes was created to debunk internet hoaxes, such as the rumor that bears steal monster trucks and level entire cities (Fact Check: True). Lucky for honest truth-seekers, the Snopes team take their job very seriously, even going so far as to fact-check the meticulously researched articles of this very website.
Below are six of our favorite Snopes fact checks and their shocking results.
Did Nicolas Cage really steal the Declaration of Independence?
Nicolas Cage has done a lot of crazy things, such as stick his head in a basket full of bees, and swap faces with John Travolta just to get revenge on him. However, he didn’t steal the Declaration of Independence. What he stole was actually a replica of the Declaration from the National Archives gift shop. He was fined $17 for the crime.
Do cows have four stomachs?
Cows have many udders and can release infinite amounts of milk, but the four stomachs myth came from a YouTube hoax featuring a rather bombastic cow in a hotdog eating contest.
Did Donald Trump ghostwrite Hitler’s Mein Kampf?
It’s unclear if Donald Trump helped Hitler actually write his famous best-seller Mein Kampf, but one thing is for sure: Hitler was definitely inspired by Trump’s ideas as clearly shown in his love of evil stuff which Trump also loves.
Can Quails shoot a laser from the plume on their head?
The California quail is one of the few species of bird who can shoot lasers. While hawks can fire lasers from their eyes and turkeys can fire lasers from that disgusting thing on their face, quails fire lasers out of the plume on their heads. Fortunately, the laser is not lethal and only causes those who are blasted by it to do a little river-style dance.
Was Bigfoot discovered by the Henderson family in the 1990s?
Bigfoot was first discovered in Boggy Creek in 1972. The Sasquatch who visited the Henderson family in the late 80’s was actually just a tall, hairy, unclothed homeless man with a speech impediment named Gary Runkle.
Can roadrunners really enter into murals painted by coyotes?
Coyotes can’t actually paint, so it’s hard to say if roadrunners could actually run inside of their paintings or not. While the Waner Brothers Roadrunner cartoons make a great case for this, scientific evidence still can’t confirm this fascinating rumor.
What are your favorite Snopes hoax-busters?
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