What's included

• Epic Pranks: 10 Historical Hoaxes That Fooled Everyone

  Introduction: From ancient times to the digital age, humans have always been fascinated by the art of deception. Whether for amusement, profit, or sheer audacity, hoaxes have captivated the public and often left us questioning our own gullibility. Here, we explore ten of the most epic pranks and historical hoaxes that managed to fool entire populations.1. The Great Moon Hoax of 1835 The New York Sun published a series of articles claiming that astronomer Sir John Herschel had discovered life on the moon, complete with bat-like humanoids and lush landscapes. The sensational story captivated readers and significantly boosted the newspaper’s sales before being debunked.2. The Cardiff Giant A massive "petrified man" was unearthed in Cardiff, New York in 1869, attracting thousands of visitors. It was later revealed to be a creation by a group of men attempting to prank a revivalist preacher who believed in giants mentioned in the Bible.3. The Piltdown Man In 1912, fragments of a skull and jawbone discovered in Piltdown, England, were hailed as the 'missing link' between apes and humans. It took over 40 years for scientists to expose the bones as a forgery, comprised of a medieval human skull and an orangutan jaw.4. The Spaghetti Tree Hoax On April Fool’s Day in 1957, the BBC aired a segment showing a Swiss family harvesting spaghetti from trees, complete with footage of noodles hanging from branches. Many viewers were duped and called in to ask how they could grow their own spaghetti trees.5. The Cottingley Fairies In 1917, two young girls in Cottingley, England, produced photographs of themselves with what appeared to be real fairies. The images were believed by many, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, until the girls admitted decades later that the fairies were cardboard cutouts.6. War of the Worlds Broadcast In 1938, Orson Welles’ radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ "War of the Worlds" was presented as a series of news bulletins, causing widespread panic among listeners who believed Earth was being invaded by Martians.7. The Feejee Mermaid P.T. Barnum’s 1842 exhibit of a "mermaid" was actually a grotesque taxidermy creation, combining a monkey’s torso and a fish’s tail. Despite its dubious authenticity, it drew massive crowds curious to see the bizarre creature.8. Hitler’s Diaries In 1983, the German magazine Stern announced the discovery of Adolf Hitler’s diaries. The documents were later proven to be elaborate forgeries, but not before they had caused a major sensation and a financial scandal.9. The Tasaday Tribe In the 1970s, a group of people in the Philippines was presented as a "Stone Age" tribe living in isolation. It was later revealed that they had been coerced into pretending to be primitive for political and financial gain.