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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Great Moon Hoax
Why in the News?
The Great Moon Hoax of 1835 is a series of fabricated news reports published by The New York Sun, an American newspaper, claiming that life had been discovered on the moon.
What is the Great Moon Hoax of 1835?
- The Great Moon Hoax was a series of newspaper articles falsely claiming that John Herschel, an astronomer, had discovered life on the moon.
- The hoax was created and published by The New York Sun, a daily newspaper in New York City, starting on August 25, 1835.
- It described various fantastical creatures, such as bat-winged humanoids (called Vespertilio-homo), unicorns, and upright beavers, along with detailed landscapes and other features of the moon.
- These reports were entirely fictional and intended as satire.
- However, they were widely believed by the public and reprinted in other newspapers.
Why the Hoax was conceived?
- To Mock Religious Influence on Science: It aimed to satirize the blend of religious beliefs with scientific claims, especially in astronomy.
- Boost Readership: The hoax was a tactic to increase The New York Sun’s circulation from 8,000 copies a day.
- Challenge Public Credulity: It highlighted how easily the public could be deceived by sensational stories without verifying their accuracy.
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