Science

Je ptačí chřipka hoax nebo spiknutí, které slouží jako záminka k ovládání cen drůbeže a vajec před svátky jako jsou Velikonoce? Ne, to není pravda: jedná se o reálné virové onemocnění, postihuje ptactvo již od devatenáctého století. Způsobuje masivní úhyny a nucené porážky drůbeže, a má tak přímý dopad na trh s vejci a masem. Toto tvrzení se objevilo ve…

Is corporal punishment the best way to establish parental authority and raise physically and psychologically resilient children? No, that's not true: Various studies have repeatedly shown that educational methods involving physical punishment have a negative impact on human development. The evidence also suggests that such methods do not reduce defiance or aggression and do not promote long-term positive behavior in…

Is the recent scientific finding that the oldest known human settlement in Europe is located in Korolevo, a town in western Ukraine, part of pro-Ukrainian propaganda? No, that's not true: Research into the archaeological site in Korolevo began before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There is no connection between the current events in Ukraine and the research. The claim appeared…

Can a beam attached to a vehicle with a magnet move the vehicle forward and thus function as free, perpetual propulsion, replacing petrol? No, that's not true: This would not work, as a mechanism such as the one shown in a video circulating on social media would defy the laws of physics. The claim appeared in a video (archived here)…

Do data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, prove that COVID-19 vaccines have caused more deaths than all other vaccines together, "since 1988 when the reporting system was set up" until 2021? No, that's not true: VAERS is an online database that anyone can access to submit a report of a suspected adverse reaction after a vaccination.…

Did Czech Health Minister Vlastimil Válek say the planned production of penicillin in the Czech Republic could inadvertently lead to the production of pervitin, a Czech name for methamphetamine? No, that's not true: Valek never mentioned pervitin during a discussion about the need to increase local production of penicillin. The claim was fabricated in a post designed to appear as…

Do iPhones secretly use infrared flashes to take and store pictures of your face? No, that's not true: On models that support it, iPhones have an Attention Aware feature, which checks if you're looking at the device to prevent it from locking or dimming the screen, and a Face ID feature, to provide authentication through facial recognition. Both features don't…

Is the ecological impact of combustion-engine cars less than that of electric vehicles (EVs)? No, that's not true: Despite the environmental impact of battery production for EVs, studies indicate that electric vehicles are more ecologically friendly throughout their lifespan when compared to combustion-engine cars, even in cases where the electricity used to charge EV batteries is sourced from coal power…

Is influenza or flu a natural detoxification process of the body to get rid of excess toxins in the cells, and are viruses just remnants of dying cells? No, this is not true: The flu is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus.The story appeared in a video (archived here) which was published on TikTok on November 5, 2023.…

Is there any evidence linking the recent deaths of Slovak singer Barbara Hascakova and Czech athlete Martin Jindra to COVID-19 vaccines? No, that's not true: There is no publicly available evidence to support a claim that their deaths were caused by COVID vaccines. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on TikTok on December 8, 2023. The person in…

Did Roman Prymula, an epidemiologist who advised the Czech government during the COVID-19 pandemic and briefly served as health minister in 2020, warn against COVID vaccines? No, that's not true: In a November 2023 interview, Prymula referred to recent studies indicating that combining COVID vaccines with flu shots could increase the risk of a stroke in elderly people but did…

Do companies use children for the purpose of obtaining adrenochrome? No, that's not true: The chemical is produced synthetically in labs, not via "apprehensive children." Furthermore, the concentration of adrenochrome in the bloodstream, analogous to adrenaline, is negligible, according to biochemists. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) by @kontrola.tienov on November 9, 2023, under the title (translated from…

Do only scientists connected to the UN Climate Panel agree that humankind's contribution to CO2 emissions causes global warming? No, that's not true: In the peer-reviewed scientific literature, there is a consensus of over 99 percent among published scientists, affirming that human activities are the primary cause of climate change. The claim originated from a video (archived here) on TikTok…

Did Elon Musk create Neuralink to ensure that people have only "correct" thoughts? No, that's not true: Neuralink is meant to help people with disabilities, like quadriplegia, for example, function better and interact and communicate with the world -- it is not meant to control what a person thinks. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) published on TikTok…

Do vaccines containing aluminum salt ingredients cause autism or ADHD, and are such vaccine ingredients harmful to people? No, that's not true: Aluminum has been used in vaccines since the 1930s and previous studies have determined it is safe. It's used in vaccines as an adjuvant -- a vaccine component that boosts the immune response to the vaccine. The claim…

Is the quantity of human-induced CO₂ emissions insignificant and incapable of causing global warming? No, that's not true: Scientists contend that human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, have elevated atmospheric CO₂ levels by nearly 50 percent since the onset of the industrial age. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) where it was published on TikTok on…

Was the public hypnotized in order to accept COVID-19 vaccines? No, that's not true: Psychologists say there is no such thing as "mass formation psychosis," which, according to a claim circulating on social media, would have induced people to blindly follow COVID-19 measures. The alleged theory according to which masses have been hypnotized in order to receive COVID jabs during…

Were the Maui wildfires deliberately planned by a group of global elites who want to establish and consolidate power over the world? No, that's not true: Maui officials have told the media that claims that the fire was intentionally set are unfounded and that the investigation of how the disaster started is still ongoing. The claim appeared in a video…

Does Neil Armstrong´s refusal to swear on the Bible that he landed on the moon mean that the landing did not happen? No, that's not true: The author of the claim is a conspiracy theorist who spreads that the moon landing was faked, despite plenty of evidence from NASA and other parties that the astronauts from the Apollo missions walked…

Can the Alaska-based High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP), a former military project for studying the ionosphere, be used as weapon to change weather? No, that's not true: Contacted by Lead Stories, HAARP confirmed that the facility "cannot create or amplify natural disasters." Also, other scientists confirmed that HAARP was not capable of causing natural disasters, controlling minds, or…