Did a Man Twice Land a Plane on a New York Street on a Bar Bet?
24 April 2019 This "hold my beer" story may seem like a work of fiction, but the aerial exploits of Thomas Fitzpatrick are well-documented.
Latest in History
Were Oak Trees Planted at Versailles for the Purpose of Repairing Notre Dame?
22 April 2019 The claim has its origins in a thinly sourced Twitter thread that provided no verification for the information it presented as fact.
Did Louis Vuitton Sponsor ‘Human Zoos’ in the 1800s and Early 1900s?
15 March 2019 Though they weren't typically billed as such, 'human zoos' were unfortunately a thing during the heyday of Western colonialism.
Was Wall Street Originally the Site of a ‘Border Wall’ Meant to Protect New Amsterdam?
15 January 2019 Social media memes compared a defensive wall built along the northern border of New Amsterdam during the 17th century to President Donald Trump's border wall.
Did the SS Warrimoo Exist in Two Centuries at Once?
2 January 2019 The SS Warrimoo was reportedly once navigated to a point such that it simultaneously spanned four different hemispheres and two centuries.
Have Two McDonald’s-Containing Countries Ever Been at War with Each Other?
6 December 2018 Whether an economic theory involving McDonald's franchises and war literally holds true largely depends on one's definition of "war."
Was the Celebration of Christmas Illegal in the U.S. Until 1836?
18 December 2018 A Facebook meme highlighted the Puritan colonists' dim view of December 25 celebrations.
Did FDR’s Vice-President Write an Op-Ed About ‘American Fascism’?
28 November 2018 Henry A. Wallace's 1944 piece included a warning regarding the alliance of racists and "deliberate poisoners of public information."
Did Robert Smalls Steal a Confederate Ship to Rescue Himself and Others from Slavery?
21 August 2018 A meme accurately recounts the life of a man born into slavery who stole a Confederate ship to rescue fellow slaves, became a war hero, and got elected to the U.S. Congress.
Did Paul Krugman Say the Internet’s Effect on the World Economy Would Be ‘No Greater Than the Fax Machine’s’?
7 June 2018 In a 1998 article about the pitfalls of making predictions about technological progress, the Nobel Prize-winning economist questioned the future role of the Internet.
Did Christopher Columbus Seize, Sell, and Export Sex Slaves?
25 May 2018 A Facebook meme accurately describes some of Columbus's most brutal practices in the Caribbean.
Was a German Football Club Banned After Failing to Give a Nazi Salute?
25 May 2018 News reports of a German football club's getting banned in 1934 after failing to give the Nazi salute are real, but the team's actions were not in protest of the Third Reich.
Latest Fact Checks View all
Did Barack Obama Accept $21.6 Million in Foreign Contributions to His 2012 Re-Election Campaign?
24 May 2019 A number of right-leaning websites suggested that Obama "stole" the 2012 election by accepting illegal foreign campaign money.
Is This an Ancient Mayan Sculpture of Batman?
24 May 2019 The year 2014 doesn't quite qualify as ancient.
Did State Governors ‘Vote to Impeach’ U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi?
24 May 2019 A notorious producer of junk news churned out yet another hoax.
Did U.S. Rep. Omar Say She ‘Hates Living in America,’ Was ‘Better Off’ in Refugee Camp?
23 May 2019 Principled criticism of aspects of one's life in a country is not the same as expressing hatred of it.
Does This Video Show Nancy Pelosi Drunk and Slurring Her Speech?
24 May 2019 Internet propagandists manipulated a clip of the U.S. House Speaker to make it appear as though she were drunk and slurring her speech.