The Bat Men

"The Bat Men – The fake news story that convinced the world life existed on the moon" recounts the Great Moon Hoax of 1835. The New York Sun published a series of articles claiming that the famous astronomer Sir John Herschel had built a super-telescope and discovered civilization on the moon. The articles described unicorns, two-legged beavers, and tribes of winged humanoids ("Bat Men") living in crystal temples. Media historian Thomas Print reveals that the story was a total fabrication designed to sell papers. It worked: The Sun became the best-selling newspaper in the world overnight. The public was so desperate for wonder that they believed it for weeks, even as scientists tried to debunk it. "The Bat Men" is the origin story of viral fake news. It shows how the mix of scientific authority, mass media, and human wishful thinking can create a reality that millions accept as truth, proving that we have always preferred a good story over a boring fact.