Tag Archives: Nature

Who Captured This Amazing Rainbow Photo At 30,000 Feet?!

Was this viral photo of an amazing full circle rainbow captured by a pilot flying at 30,000 feet?!

Take a look at the photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : This Rare Rainbow Was Captured By Pilot At 30,000 Feet!

People are sharing what they claim is a rare rainbow captured by Lloyd J Ferraro, a pilot flying over the Pacific Ocean at at an altitude of 30,000 feet.

Rainbow at 30,000 Feet: Pilot’s Photo Captures Rare and Breathtaking Sight

A rare sight was captured from the cockpit of a commercial airplane as pilot Lloyd J Ferraro took a stunning photograph of a complete rainbow from an altitude of 30,000 feet. The breathtaking image shows the colors of the rainbow in their full spectrum, arching gracefully across the sky.

Rainbows have long been a source of fascination for people around the world, with their vivid colors and seemingly magical appearance. While rainbows can be seen from the ground after a storm, it is much rarer to witness a complete rainbow from the vantage point of an airplane.

According to Ferraro, he was flying over the Pacific Ocean when he spotted the rainbow and decided to capture the moment on camera. The resulting photograph has since gone viral, captivating people around the world with its beauty and rarity.

The image not only showcases the beauty of nature but also highlights the incredible capabilities of modern technology. Ferraro was able to capture the stunning photograph using a smartphone camera, demonstrating how accessible and advanced our technology has become.

This incredible photo serves as a reminder of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us in our everyday lives. It is a testament to the power of nature and the marvels of modern technology, and it has inspired people around the world to appreciate the small moments of beauty that exist in the world around us.

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Truth : Rare Rainbow Was Not Captured By Pilot At 30,000 Feet!

This is yet another example of FAKE PHOTOS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Photo Was Not Taken By Lloyd J Ferraro

Lead Stories spoke to the pilot, Lloyd J Ferraro, on March 1, 2023. He has seen circular rainbows while flying, but he did not take that viral photo.

Ferraro shared that both he and his colleague copied and shared the rainbow image on social media, but he did not take the photo himself.

Fact #2 : Circular Rainbows Are Not Particularly Rare

Lloyd J Ferraro said that full-circle rainbows are not as rare as people think, and people do not need to be in an airplane to see one – a full circle rainbow can be observed from any high vantage point, like a mountain top.

In fact, NASA featured this full circle rainbow photo as its Astronomy Picture of the Day on December 27, 2022. That amazing photo of a full circle rainbow was taken using a drone by Swiss photographer Lukas Moesch over the Lofoten islands of Norway.

NASA also explained why full circle rainbows are more commonly seen from the air, instead of the ground.

Have you ever seen an entire rainbow? From the ground, typically, only the top portion of a rainbow is visible because directions toward the ground have fewer raindrops. From the air, though, the entire 360-degree circle of a rainbow is more commonly visible.

Pictured here, a full-circle rainbow was captured over the Lofoten Islands of Norway in September by a drone passing through a rain shower.

An observer-dependent phenomenon primarily caused by the internal reflection of sunlight by raindrops, the rainbow has a full diameter of 84 degrees. The Sun is in the exact opposite direction from the rainbow’s center. As a bonus, a second rainbow that was more faint and color-reversed was visible outside the first.

Fact #3 : Rainbow Photo Originated In Xiaohongshu

Lloyd J Ferraro could not have been the creator of the photo, because the viral photo of the rare circular rainbow circulated much earlier.

It appeared to have been posted in the Facebook group, Beautiful Nature, as part of a 5-photo collection of rainbows on February 6, 2023. After that, it went viral with many people sharing it on Facebook and Twitter.

But a closer examination of these photos will show a digital watermark at their lower right corners. These photos were created by someone with the user ID of 5463530014 on the Chinese social shopping platform Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book).

Fact #4 : Professor Labelled Rainbow Photo As Fake

Lead Stories asked Roland Stull, a professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of British Columbia to analyse the photo. He labelled it as a fake rainbow photo, and explained why:

It is fake. Rainbows form a circle centered around the shadow of the photographer or the camera; namely, looking away from the sun.

In the photo you attached, based on the sides of the clouds that are illuminated by the sun, the rainbow incorrectly appears to be in the direction of the sun, not opposite to the sun. Also, the rainbow circle itself appears to be incorrectly touching the location in the sky where the sun is (even though it is hidden behind a cloud), instead of the circle being centered on a shadow opposite to the sun (i.e., centered around the “anti-solar” point).

Fact #5 : Rainbow Photo Most Likely Generated By AI

It is not possible to know if the fake rainbow photo was digitally drawn by an artist, or created by AI image generators.

However, due to the numerous examples of similar rainbow photos with the same tone and colour palette, they were all likely generated by text-to-image generators like Midjourney, DALL-E or Stable Diffusion.

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Did Penang Bridge Get Hit By Tornado This Morning?!

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Did a tornado hit the Penang Bridge this morning?!

Take a look at the viral claim and video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Penang Bridge Got Hit By Tornado This Morning!

This photo and warning keeps going viral on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook:

Happened this morning on Penang Bridge 😱😨🌪️🌪️

Truth : Penang Bridge Did Not Get Hit By Tornado This Morning!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral Video Was Recorded In 2017

First, let me just point out that this viral video is not new. It was actually recorded at around 6 PM on 28 March 2017.

So the claim that the tornado appeared near and over the Penang Bridge “this morning” in June 2023 is false.

Since then, it has reappeared on WhatsApp and social media every year or so, usually when it rains heavily during the monsoon season.

Fact #2 : No One Was Injured In The Incident

The viral video shows a waterspout forming near the Penang bridge, and it eventually passes over the motorist recording it before the video cuts out.

To be clear – no one was hurt by that 2017 Penang waterspout, which was a mild one.

Fact #3 : The Video Shows A Waterspout, Not Tornado

Technically, the video does not show a tornado (which forms over land), but a waterspout which forms over a body of water. Waterspouts fall into two categories – tornadic waterspout, and fair weather waterspout.

The more dangerous tornadic waterspout are tornadoes that form over water, or move from land to water, during severe thunderstorms and are often accompanied by high winds and dangerous lightning .

The Penang Bridge waterspout seen in 2017 is what’s called a fair weather waterspout, which is more common and forms only over open water. Such waterspouts are small and less dangerous, and only form for a brief time.

Fact #4 : Waterspouts Form Occasionally In Penang

Waterspouts may be uncommon, but they are not unheard of in Penang. They have been reported in the past:

waterspouts were spotted in the North Channel, and the coast of Butterworth in November 2016
two were reported in Kampung Perlis and Pulau Betong in November 2016
a massive waterspout damaged 28 houses and apartments in Tanjung Tokong and Tanjung Bungah in April 2019

A spokesperson for the Meteorological Services Department in Penang said that the rise in global temperatures can increase the frequency of waterspouts.

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake News About Nature

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created about nature. Here are other examples you may have seen on WhatsApp, and social media platforms:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Did 2 University Students Get Cancer From This Plant?!

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Did two university students get cancer, specifically leukaemia, from this plant?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Two University Students Got Cancer From This Plant!

This photo and warning keeps going viral on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook:

My daughters Sis- in- law age 31 died yesterday cos of leukemia.
She got leukemia while doing master in botanical at USM.
Research on the plant above.
Her friend doing the same research also got CA and died last year.
USM and Health Ministery proved that these two uni students got leukemia due to the plants above.
Action (perhatian)
If u have these plants, destroy it by burning it before it flowers.
Pass the info to the group to remind the danger of this plant. Don’t know how true but better be safe than sorry. 🙏🏻

Truth : No University Students Got Cancer From This Plant!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Has Been Circulating Since 2015

First, let me just point out that this viral warning and photo have been circulating for many years now, at least since December 2015.

Like many of such viral fake news, it keeps reappearing and going viral every year or so.

Fact #2 : USM Refuted The Claims As Fake News

When the photo and story first went viral in December 2015, University Sains Malaysia (USM) was inundated with queries about it. In response, the USM Media and Public Relations Centre director Mohamad Abdullah publicly refuted the claims, and said that it was “false news”.

We have been bombarded with many queries on this. We would like to urge those posting this up to prove their claims so we can conduct an official investigation.

USM would like to plead to all to stop spreading the false news on the matter immediately.

Needless to say, no one ever stepped forward to share with USM which 31 year-old university student of theirs died from cancer, after doing research on the plant.

Fact #3 : Plant In Photo Is Likely Zanzibar Gem

The viral message never identified the plant, but after a close examination and reverse image searches, the plant appears to be the Zanzibar Gem (Zamioculcas zamiifolia).

While some fact checkers have claimed that this is the money plant (Epipremnum aureum), that’s incorrect. The leaves of money plant have light and dark green patterns, while the Zanzibar Gem (also known as ZZ) has even green leaves.

Fact #4 : Neither Plants Cause Cancer

Both the money plant and Zanzibar Gem are considered poisonous houseplants, and toxic to humans and pets. However, neither the money plant or Zanzibar Gem cause cancer.

The money plant is known to be toxic to cats and dogs due to insoluble raphides. It is also mildly toxic to humans if consumed, due to its calcium oxalate content. However, it does not cause cancer.

The Zanzibar Gem is also toxic to humans and pets, because it contains calcium oxalate. However, it also does not cause cancer.

Incidentally, both plants are toxic to consume and irritating to touch at all times, not just when they are flowering as the viral message claims.

Recommended : Do Amaravalli Flowers Look Like Birds?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake News About Nature

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created about nature. Here are other examples you may have seen on WhatsApp, and social media platforms:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Fact Check : Do Amaravalli Flowers Look Like Birds?!

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Do Amaravalli or Amarvaili flowers really look like purple-headed birds? Take a look at the viral photo, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Amaravalli / Amarvaili Flowers Look Like Birds!

People are sharing a photo of Amaravalli / Amarvaili flowers that appear to look like purple-headed birds!

This flower is called amaravalli. If u see from far it looks like a bird, if u zoom it , u can make out the reality

It is also being posted by religious people as evidence of God’s power and creativity.

This flower is called AMARAVALLI. At first glance, you see birds on a branch, but by enlarging the image, you can watch one of God’s beautiful creations.

نبتة تسمی Amarvaili تبدو وكأنها طيور تقف على غصن!! عند تکبیر الصورة تتضح الحقیقة سبحانك من خالق مبدع

A plant called Amarvaili that looks like birds perching on a branch!! When the image is enlarged, the truth becomes clear, Glory be to You, from the Creator

Wonders From God
What do we see?
Birds resting on top of a plant.
Zoom in & we’ll discover…
These are flowers named Amaravalli !
Look like birds from afar… but actually flowers..!!
Nature, designed & created by Jesus, is always full of wonders…!!
Imagine the Bible says that Jesus created the world with His mere word.
What awesome intellect, power, creativity, & love too.
Why? Because He created the entire universe & everything in it for man. He imagined the entire humanity He will create & love us all before He created the whole universe. All these are so hard to understand.
The only reason why we can talk about these is because He reveals Himself through His word, the Bible. Otherwise, we’ll be guessing & speculating today.
Jesus, our God, a being worthy of our respect & worship today.
God/Jesus is awesome.

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Claim : Amaravalli / Amarvaili Flowers Do Not Look Like Birds!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS shared on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Is An Old Photo

First of all, I should point out that this isn’t a new photo, or the first time this photo went viral on social media.

It has been shared on social media and various websites since at least February 2017, if not earlier. It just keeps going viral every 2 years or so.

Fact #2 : Amaravalli Is Tamil Name For Cassytha filiformis

When I first looked up the name Amaravalli, I could find no flower or plant by that name. It turned out to be the Tamil name for Akashavalli, which is the Sanskrit name for love-vine, Cassytha filiformis.

Language	Common Name
English	Love-vine, Air creeper
Sanskrit	Akashavalli, Amrtavalli, Khavalli
Tamil	Amaravalli, Ammaiyarkoonthal
Hindi	Amarbeli
Chinese	無根藤
Japanese	スナヅル
Malay	Rambut puteri

Fact #3 : Amaravalli Flowers Do Not Look Like Birds

Amaravalli, which is better known by its English name – love-vine, or its scientific name, Cassytha filiformis, is a parasitic vine that grows in many warm, tropical regions worldwide – from the Americas, to Southeast Asia, Australia and even Africa.

Cassytha filiformis produces flowers, but they are tiny and white in colour. They also look nothing like birds, as this photo clearly shows.

Fact #4 : Viral Photo Is Of Cyanotis cristata

As you can surmise by now, the viral photo does not show Amaravalli / Akashavalli / love-vine / Cassytha filiformis flowers. The flowers belong to a completely different plant called Cyanotis cristata.

Cyanotis cristata is a creeping herb that is native in the Indian subcontinent, southern China, Southeast Asia, Ethiopia, and Mauritius. Its leaves and stems are eaten as vegetable in West Java.

Fact #5 : The Photo Appears To Be Carefully Framed

Unfortunately, I was not able to trace the source of the original photo, because it was shared so many times on many websites and social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.

However, the photo appears to be genuine, albeit it was carefully framed to make the leaves and flowers look like birds from a distance. It is possible though that the leaves were coloured to make them purple – Cyanotis cristata has green leaves which may be brownish / reddish at the edges.

In any case, here are other examples of real Cyanotis cristata leaves and flowers. As you can see, they don’t really look like birds at all… maybe more like caterpillars with a purple crown?

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake News About Nature

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created about nature. Here are other examples you may have seen on WhatsApp, and social media platforms:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Does Viral Video Show Super Moon At Arctic Circle?!

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Does the viral video recorded at the Arctic circle show the total eclipse of the sun by a super moon at its perigee?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Super Moon At Arctic Circle Causes Total Eclipse Of Sun!

This video, which has gone viral on WhatsApp and social media platforms, claims to show how the moon comes super close to the Earth at its perigee, and actually causes a total eclipse of the sun, at the Arctic circle!

The moon, seen from the Arctic Circle, between Russia and Canada. It only lasts a few seconds, but it’s worth seeing. It’s a spectacular sight.

Imagine that you are in a location between Canada and Russia and suddenly and for just 30 seconds, the moon appears in all its splendor and disappears before your eyes. It looks like the moon is going to collide with the earth.

Even more impressive AND for just 5 seconds, a total eclipse of the sun takes place. It’s unprecedented and spectacular!

The video was shot in REAL-TIME. The phenomenon happens at the “perigee”: the closest point of a heavenly body’s orbit around the Earth, where the proximity of the moon is so evident that, suddenly, we realize the great speed at which the Earth is moving.

This effect is only visible once a year and lasts for just 30 seconds…Astronomers figured out those exact 30 seconds and had the cameras rolling. Fortunately they had a clear sky. Pls enjoy 🙏🙏🙏

Does this viral video show a Super Moon at the Arctic Circle?! 😮

Here are the facts : https://t.co/paSzXloJdu #TechARP #SuperMoon #Moon #Space #Eclipse #SolarEclipse #Arctic #Astronomy #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #TikTok #CGI #Animation #Viral #Video pic.twitter.com/ennVCj3r2e

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) April 24, 2023

Truth : Super Moon At Arctic Circle Video Is Fake!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Super Moon Video Started Going Viral In 2021

First, I think it is important to point out that this isn’t a new video. In fact, this super moon video first went viral in May 2021.

At that time, people were waiting to witness the Super Blood Moon on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, when there would be a complete lunar eclipse for about 15 minutes as the Earth passes directly between the moon and the sun.

The “blood” moon had a reddish-orange colour, because all of the sunrises and sunsets in the Earth’s atmosphere projected onto the surface of the eclipsed moon.

Fact #2 : Super Moon Video Was Created By Aleksey__nx

The viral video of the super moon perigee creating a total solar eclipse at the Arctic circle is actually a computer-generated animation created by a TikTok content creator called Aleksey__nx.

His original TikTok account is no longer around, but he has a new TikTok account aieksey__n, in which he shares similar computer-generated animation videos.

Fact #3 : Moon Distance Varies By Just 14%

The Moon orbits the Earth in an elliptical orbit, with its distance varying by 14%. At its closest point (perigee), it is about 356,500 km away, but at its furthest distance (apogee), it is 406,700 km away.

While the difference in distance can produce a noticeably smaller or larger Moon to the naked eye, it is not significant enough to produce such a large moon as seen in the viral video.

Remember – the difference in distance between the apogee (furthest point) and the perigee (closest point) is only 14%, so the size of the Moon will only vary by about 14% in diameter, and 30% in apparent area.

Fact #4 : Such A Moon Could Cause Havoc On Earth

The Moon would have to be extremely close to the Earth, for it to appear as large as shown in the viral video.

If that actually happened, the Moon would orbit the Earth much quicker. Instead of taking a month, it would take just hours to complete an orbit.

As impressive as such a large Moon would look, many of us would probably not be around to enjoy it because its gravitational pull would cause massive tidal waves that are hundreds of metres high, sweeping the globe as it goes around.

On top of that, the Moon’s gravitational pull on the Earth’s mantle would trigger apocalyptic-level volcanic activity and earthquakes as it orbits. Lakes and other large bodies of water would probably boil off, with molten lava flowing everywhere. Quite literally hell on Earth.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Did US Send 7000 Insects To Destroy Crops In China?!

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Did the US try to send 7,000 Drosophila insects into China to destroy their crops?!

Take a look at viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : US Sent 7,000 Insects To Destroy Crops In China!

People are sharing a video of a Chinese news report about Chinese custom officials discovering 66 containers of some 7,000 insects in a parcel shipped from the US.

They allege that this is evidence of American sabotage – that the US sent those insects to destroy crops in China. The video is often shared with such messages :

The video showed China🇨🇳 Port Custom, checked a luggage claimed to contain clothing. But when scanned through & upon suspicion, Custom Officers opened up the bag. They found there were more than 60 bottles containing the larvae of Drosophila, some 7k of it. If these bottles of larvae Drosophila were successfully smuggled into China & the matured Drosophila spread throughout the whole China. It will destroy all the fruits plantation/orchards. The matured ones multiplies & spread very fast. The luggage is from USA🇺🇸. The acts of inhumanity in infecting & destroying China🇨🇳 food chain. Evilness knows no boundries.

Did the US try to send 7,000 fruit flies into China to destroy their crops?! 😲🤔

Here is my fact check : https://t.co/plL00Op2DC #TechARP #China #UnitedStates #Wumao #Propaganda #Controversy #Agriculture #Crops #Food #Safety #Danger #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #FakeNews pic.twitter.com/ue90TcI1mw

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@DrAdrianWong) April 20, 2023

China customs found 7000 insects sent from the USA. Out to destroy crops in China.

An evil country on the way down trying to pull others down too with sickening and rather despicable tactics !
🤬🤬🤬

In addition to claiming that these insects are dangerous to crops, some pro-CCP or Chinese-sponsored websites are promoting the claim that these insects had their genes edited to become “more infectious”, like a “super mosquito”.

They also point out that each of these insects can reproduce every 10 days, laying 400 eggs in their lifetime to quickly produce a swarm that will destroy fruits in China, by corrupting them with bacteria and fungi.

Truth : US Did Not Send 7,000 Insects To Destroy Crops In China!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and shared by pro-CCP netizens and websites, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Incident Happened In July 2022

First, let us establish what we know about this case.

Sometime in early July 2022, Qingdao customs officers examined a package sent from the United States. Its declaration form claimed that the parcel contained clothes.

When they opened it up, they found two pieces of clothes inside, with 66 sealed tubes containing eggs, larvae, pupae and adult insects.

After analysing them, Qingdao custom officers estimated that the 66 tubes contained roughly 7,000 fruit flies, specifically of the species Drosophila melanogaster.

Fact #2 : Drosophila megalogaster Is Present Worldwide

Drosophila melanogaster is known as the common fruit fly, which is commonly present across the world. Yes, this fruit fly is already present in China.

Despite originating in Africa – it is now present on all continents across the world, including islands.

Fact #3 : Drosophila megalogaster Can Lay Up To 2,000 Eggs

The Chinese media promoting this story can’t even get their facts right, claiming that these fruit flies lay up to 400 eggs in their lifetime.

Drosophila melanogaster females are far more productive than that – they can lay up to 100 eggs a day, and up to 2,000 eggs in a lifetime.

Fact #4 : Drosophila megalogaster Do Not Cause Fruits To Rot

Drosophila melanogaster is not an economic pest, even though no one welcomes them in their home.

It is often confused with Tephritidae – a different family of insects that are also called fruit flies, some of which are economic pests that destroy fruits.

Unlike Tephritidae fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster do not destroy fruits. They are attracted to fruit that is already rotting, but do not cause fruits to rot.

The claims that the US sent Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies to destroy crops in China is nonsense.

Fact #5 : Drosophila megalogaster Is Commonly Used For Research

Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies are very popular in scientific research, for many reasons :

they are easy and cheap to care for, requiring little equipment and space
they have a rapid life cycle of 10 days, allowing several generations to be studied in a few weeks
each female can produce many offspring, laying up to 2,000 eggs in its lifetime
they have simple genetics, with only four pairs of chromosomes
their genome was completely sequenced and published in the year 2000

Scientists do not mention this as a reason for using Drosophila melanogaster, but I think it is important to note that it is not a pest, so accidental release of these fruit flies would not pose any danger of any form or kind.

Fact #6 : Drosophila megalogaster Is Commonly Shipped Worldwide

Because it is a model organism for research, Drosophila melanogaster is bred and shipped internationally to researchers worldwide.

The College of Agriculture and Life Science at Cornell University, for example, breeds and sells Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies, which they ship internationally including China.

Fact #7 : 2021 Seized Shipment Was Meant For Chinese Research Institute

This wasn’t the first time China seized live Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies in such tubes.

In June 2021, Chinese custom officials found 58 tubes containing more than 1,000 of these fruit flies in an imported parcel addressed to a Chinese research institute.

They seized the parcel because its contents were not declared, and it lacked an import permit.

Fact #8 : China Requires Quarantine For Live Insects

China forbids live insects from being mailed or carried into the country, without special quarantine or approval.

However, quarantine is a problem for Drosophila melanogaster because it has such a short lifespan of just 50 days.

Hence, it is possible that Chinese researchers are trying to circumvent the quarantine by importing live Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies, without an import permit which would require quarantine.

It is also possible that these fruit flies are being imported as a live food source for people’s pet fish, frogs and other animals.

Fact #9 : Cornell University Warned About Chinese Import Permit

Cornell University specifically warned Chinese researchers trying to purchase these fruit flies that :

As of November 1, 2014, we can only offer free replacements for shipments of live flies to China that were accompanied by an import permit.

That suggests that they lost shipments to China in the past, because they lacked import permits.

Fact #10 : This Is Chinese Propaganda

This is really nothing more than yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

All of the wumao articles that I looked at so far have proven to be false… in every instance. So please watch out for such false claims. Here is just the latest dozen,.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Do Mahameru Pagoda Flowers Only Bloom Every 400 Years?!

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Do the Mahameru pagoda flowers in Tibet only bloom once every 400 years?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Mahameru Pagoda Flowers Only Bloom Every 400 Years!

People are sharing photos and a video of what they call the Mahameru pagoda flowers, claiming that they only bloom once every 400 years.

Tibet’s unique “Pagoda Flower” is auspicious. This is the Mahameru flower that blooms once every 400 years in the Himalayas.

It’s not a cabbage 🥬 but Tibet’s unique “Pagoda Flower”. I was sent this by a dear friend. It is the auspicious Mahameru flower that blooms once every 400 years in the Himalayas. Apparently lucky to see it and will give you a lifetime of good luck – now thats worth sharing! Have a wonderful evening all. Lots love cxxx 💖💖💖
.
#mahameruflower #goodluck #auspicious #beautyinbloom ✨💖💖💖

It is also known as Mahameru flower or Arya flower. It can be found in the Himalayas. Flowers once every 400 years. If we want to see it again, we have to wait another 400 years. Our generation is lucky. So share as much as possible. Let others see it.

這就是“寶塔花”或“瑪哈默魯”，西藏特有的吉祥花。喜馬拉雅山上的寶塔花每400年盛開一次。我們這一代人有幸看到寶塔花開。請分享，讓其他人看到。祝你後半生好運！.

This is the “pagoda flower” or “Mahameru”, a unique auspicious flower in Tibet. The pagoda flowers in the Himalayas bloom every 400 years. Our generation is fortunate to see the pagoda blossom. Please share it for others to see. Good luck for the rest of your life!

Truth : Mahameru Pagoda Flowers Do Not Exist!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS shared on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Mahameru Flowers Do Not Exist

First, let me just point out that there are no flowers that are called Mahameru.

Fact #2 : Sharing On Social Media Won’t Bring Good Luck

There is no evidence that sharing anything on social media will bring you good luck.

Fake news creators add that bit to get people to spread their misinformation.

Fact #3 : This Is The Sikkim Rhubarb

These are not flowers, but a massive vegetable known as the Sikkim Rhubarb (Rheum nobile) that is native to the Himalayas.

Fact #4 : This Is The Foxtail Lily

This video which claims to show the blooming of the Mahemeru pagoda flower is really a video of the foxtail lily plant (Eremurus stenophyllus)

Foxtail lilies do not bloom only once in 400 years. They actually bloom for about three weeks every year, in June or July.

Is this the magical Mahameru flower that only blooms every 400 years?! 😮

Here are the facts : https://t.co/3p1jilinf9 #TechARP #Flower #Horticulture #Science #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Hoax #Fake #FakeNews #Viral #GoodLuck #Video #PagodaFlower #Religion #Faith #Belief pic.twitter.com/p0WDctNxhH

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) March 26, 2023

Fact #5 : This Is The Saguaro Flower

These are not photos of the Mahameru pagoda flower. Rather, they are photos of flowers from a cactus called Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) – the state wildflower of Arizona.

The saguaro cactus is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state or Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California.

Fact #6 : Pagoda Flower Exists

The pagoda flower exists, and has the scientific name of Clerodendrum paniculatum. However, it looks nothing like the three or four different flowers that people are claiming is the Mahameru pagoda flower.

The pagoda flower (Clerodendrum paniculatum) is not native to the Himalayas, but can be found all over tropical Asia, including southern China, Taiwan, Borneo, Sumatra, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and even in Central America.

The real pagoda flower do not bloom once every 400 years, but throughout most of every year! And when it blooms, its flowers last for several weeks.

Below is a comparison I made of the real pagoda flower, with three of the most common “fake” pagoda flowers that people keep sharing on WhatsApp and social media platforms. As you can see – they look nothing alike!

Recommended : Do Vegan Tonkotsu Noodles Contain Pork?!

Fact #7 : No Flower Takes 400 Years To Bloom

There are plants that take years before flowering, but there is no flower that only blooms once every 400 years.

The corpse flower (Amorphophallus Titanium) takes about 5 to 10 years of vegetative growth before it blooms.
The sheep-eating plant (Puya chilensis) can take 15-20 years to flower.
The Madagascar palm (Tahina spectabilis) takes about 30-50 years to flower.
The American aloe (Agave americana) can take 10-30 years to flower, just before dying.
The Queen of the Andes (Puya raimondii) also flowers at the end of its life, after approximately 80 years.
The bamboo Melocanna baciffera flowers every 48 years
The Taliport palm (Corypha umbraculifera) lives up to 60 years, and flowers just before dying.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Will Aphelion Phenomenon Create Cold Weather?!

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Will the Aphelion phenomenon create cold weather that can cause flu, cough and breathing difficulties?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Aphelion Phenomenon Will Create Dangerous Cold Weather!

A viral warning about the Aphelion phenomenon has gone viral in WhatsApp groups, as well as social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

It warns people that they will start experiencing dangerous cold weather that can cause flu, cough and breathing difficulties!

From tomorrow till August 22 this year, it will be colder than previous years. They call it Aphelion phenomenon.

Starting tomorrow at 05:27 we will experience the APHELION PHENOMENON where the Earth will be very far from the Sun. We cannot see the phenomenon, but we can feel its impact.

This will last until August 2022.

We will experience cold weather more than the previous cold weather, which will have an impact on flu, cough, shortness of breath, etc.

Therefore, let’s all increase immunity by drinking lots of vitamins or supplements so that our immunity is strong.

The distance from the Earth to the Sun is 5 light minutes or 90,000,000 km. The phenomenon of aphelion to 152,000,000 km. 66% further.

Here is another version in broken English… with Aphelion wrongly written as Albelian and Alphelion.

ALERT
Strange Phenomenon

From tomorrow till August 22 the weather will be colder and colder than last year. This is called the Albelian phenomenon. It starts tomorrow morning at 5-27.

We will not only see but also experience the effects of the Alphelion Phenomenon. It will end in August 2022.

During this time we will experience cold weather like never before.. due to which.. our body aches and stuffy throat, Fever, cough and breathing problems occur. Therefore, it is better to strengthen your immune system with vitamins and other healthy food products.

The distance between Sun and Earth is 90,000,000 km. But during this Alphelion Phenomenon, the distance between the two will increase to 152,000,000 km. That is a 66% increase.

Please share this with family, friends and loved ones. STAY SAFE

Truth : Aphelion Phenomenon Will NOT Create Dangerous Cold Weather!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the reasons why!

Fact #1 : Aphelion + Perihelion Happens Every Year

First, let me just point out that aphelion and perihelion are annual events where the earth is furthest away (aphelion) from, and closest (perihelion) to the sun.

In 2022 and 2023, earth will be closest to the sun (perihelion) in January, but move to its furthest point in July (aphelion).

This aphelion / perihelion phenomenon happens because the earth’s orbit around the sun isn’t perfectly circular. Instead, it is a slightly elongated ellipse.

Fact #2 : Aphelion-Perihelion Difference Only 3.3%

The viral messages wrongly claim that the distance between Sun and Earth is 90 million kilometres. It is actually about 149 million kilometres on average.

That means there is only a 5 million km / 3 million mile difference between the aphelion (furthest point) and the perihelion (closest point) of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun.

That is a minuscule 3.3% to 3.4% difference between the perihelion and the aphelion. Not 66% as claimed by the fake story.

Fact #3 : Solar Constant Changes Only 3.5%

The amount of the Sun’s energy that the Earth receives is called the solar constant, and is about 1367 watts per square meter.

This solar constant only varies by 3.5% between the perihelion (closest point) and the aphelion (furthest point) of the Earth’s orbit around the sun.

Such a small difference in the Sun’s energy received by the Earth cannot significantly change weather or the local temperature.

Just look at the difference in the sun’s size between aphelion (furthest point) and perihelion (closest point). You can barely tell the difference!

Fact #4 : It Takes Over 8 Minutes For Sunlight To Reach Earth

The viral messages falsely claim that sunlight takes just 5 minutes to reach Earth.

The average distance between the Sun and Earth is 149 million kilometres, and the speed of light is 299,792 km per second.

If you do the math, you will see that sunlight takes about 497 seconds to reach Earth. That’s about 8 minutes and 28 seconds.

Fact #5 : Cold Weather Cannot Cause Disease

While cold or hot weather can exacerbate medical conditions, they cannot cause diseases like flu, which is a viral infection.

Symptoms like fever, cough and stuffy throats suggest viral or bacterial infections, which are not caused by changes in the weather.

Flu infections increase during cold weather because the flu viruses survive better in cold air, and the low humidity helps the virus particles remain in the air.

Flu infections are also more common during cold weather because people stay indoors more often, allowing easier spread of the virus from one person to another.

Fact #6 : Supplements Cannot Prevent Diseases

Vitamins and other supplements cannot prevent viral or bacterial infections. They are not vaccines. They are supplements.

Supplements also only help if you lack the nutrients they supply in your diet. If you have a good diet, you don’t need supplements.

Fact #7 : Taking Supplements Can Be Bad / Dangerous

There are limits to which your body can absorb nutrients. Excess nutrients from supplements will just end up excreted in your urine or stool.

More worryingly, taking some supplements in excess will block the absorption of other nutrients. Or worse – they can build up in your body and become toxic.

So never take supplements in excess. They are meant to supplement a poor diet. They will not turbocharge a good one.

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Can Flower of the Holy Spirit Transform To Dove?!

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An orchid called the Flower of the Holy Spirit appears to change from a saint to a flying dove, when it blooms!

Learn more about this spectacular and divine miracle, and find out what the facts really are!

Flower of the Holy Spirit : From Saint To Dove!

People are sharing these photos of the Flower of the Holy Spirit, together with this helpful explanation :

This is one of the orchid species named Flower of the Holy Spirit. It starts blooming during Pentecostal period once a year.

Before bloom, it looks like praying saints, when the flower blooms, it looks like a flying dove. How amazing is God’s Creation!

Flower of the Holy Spirit : It Would Be A Miracle Indeed!

It would be a miracle if either of the two pictures above are the Flower of the Holy Spirit. The sad fact is that this is yet another divinely-inspired fake story.

The only factual thing about the whole post is that they are both orchids. Everything else was made up.

Fact #1 : Neither Are The Flower of the Holy Spirit

There is an orchid called The Flower of the Holy Spirit – Peristeria elata.

Also known as the Holy Ghost orchid, dove orchid, or flor del Espiritu Santo in Spanish, this is what it looks like!

Fact #2 : The Orchid On The Left Is Green-Yellow Catasetum

The orchid that looks like praying saints? That’s Catasetum viridiflavum, commonly known as the Green-Yellow Catasetum.

We hate to burst your divine bubble again, but generally their “arms” do not fold inwards. It’s hard to find photos that show these “saints” praying…

You have to look for the rare examples with drooping petals, and take the photos at a specific angle to make it look like a praying saint.

Fact #3 : The Orchid On The Right Is White Egret Flower

The orchid that looks like a flying dove is Pecteilis radiata, commonly known as the White Egret Flower, the fringed orchid or sagisō – the official flower of the Setagaya ward of Tokyo.

Not only is an egret a type of heron, not a dove… bird-like lip of this orchid droops downwards.

You need to frame the shot from underneath the orchid, at a certain angle, in order to obtain a photo that “appears” to show a flying dove.

Fact #4 : They Do Not Bloom During Pentecost

As far as we can tell, orchids do not observe the Pentecost – which is generally around mid-May to mid-June.

Catasetum viridiflavum (the “praying saints”) blooms sometime between end June to end September.
Pecteilis radiata (the “flying dove”) blooms sometime between early December and February.

Neither of the orchids in the picture actually bloom during Pentecost…

Fact #5 : It Would Be A True Miracle If It Happens

It would be a textbook case of a true miracle if Catasetum viridiflavum blooms into Pecteilis radiata during the Pentecost, or any other time for the matter.

But it is impossible for one orchid species to change into a different orchid species, just like how it is impossible for a Chihuahua to transform into a Doberman.

We will be sure to update you if this miracle ever happens. But for now, this is just … divine inspiration?

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

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