Archive · 12 Dec 2025
Fish, Flies, and Humans All Fall for Fake News
Scientists found that not just humans, but also fish, flies, and bacteria can fall for fake news.
For example, fish might think there's a predator when there isn't, and the whole school will swim away.
This isn't just a problem for us; it's a problem for many animals that live in big groups.
A long time ago, in 1835, a newspaper in New York published fake stories about the Moon having rivers, crystals, and even unicorns.
This hoax actually helped newspapers grow and create new readers.
Later, in 1994, a mathematician named Alan Sokal tricked a journal into publishing a fake article to show that some academic journals weren't checking their work carefully enough.
So, fake news has been around for a while and affects many different kinds of creatures.
Researchers at Cornell University found that fish, flies, and bacteria can fall for misinformation, similar to humans.
Fish may perceive non-existent threats and cause their school to react, showing how fake news spreads in social groups.
In 1835, The Sun newspaper published a hoax about the Moon having lush rivers, crystals, and fantastical creatures, which boosted newspaper popularity.
Alan Sokal's 1994 sham article accepted by Social Text journal highlighted the decline of rigorous standards in academic publishing.
Fake news has been a persistent issue across different species and throughout human history, sometimes leading to unintended positive outcomes.
- Who
- Researchers at Cornell University, fish, flies, bacteria, and humans
- What
- The spread of misinformation and fake news among various species, including humans
- When
- The study was published in Interface; the Great Moon Hoax occurred in 1835; Alan Sokal's sham article was submitted in 1994
- Where
- The study was conducted by Cornell University; the Great Moon Hoax was published in The Sun newspaper in New York; Alan Sokal's sham article was accepted by Social Text journal
- Why
- To understand the prevalence and impact of misinformation across different species and in human history
- Study Conducted By
- Cornell University
- Study Published In
- Interface
- Year of Great Moon Hoax
- 1835
- Newspaper Involved in Hoax
- The Sun
- Year of Sham Article Submission
- 1994
- Journal Involved in Sham Article
- Social Text
- Author of Sham Article
- Alan Sokal
- Institution of Sham Article Author
- NYU