495 claim verifications avg. score 4.3/10 139 rated true or mostly true 355 rated false or misleading
“Increases in the minimum wage consistently and universally result in higher unemployment rates.”
The claim that minimum wage increases "consistently and universally" raise unemployment is not supported by the evidence. While some studies find modest negative employment effects for specific subgroups (teens, low-skill workers), high-authority research from the CBO, IMF, NBER, and UK government reviews finds effects that are often near zero, negligible, or even positive in concentrated labor markets. The absolute framing of "consistently and universally" is contradicted by decades of empirical research showing highly heterogeneous, context-dependent outcomes.
“Donald Trump made threats to invade Spain.”
Trump threatened to cut off all trade with Spain after it refused to allow U.S. use of joint military bases for operations against Iran. He also boasted the U.S. "could just fly in and use" those bases. However, no credible source — including those critical of Trump — characterized his remarks as a threat to invade Spain. The claim replaces documented economic threats with the far more extreme word "invade," which is not supported by the evidence.
“The contents of the Epstein files contain evidence relevant to the Pizzagate conspiracy theory.”
The Epstein files do not contain evidence relevant to Pizzagate. Multiple credible sources — including the actual court documents, FRANCE 24, and Snopes — confirm that the 900+ "pizza" mentions in the files are literal food references (restaurant visits, meal plans) with no connection to Comet Ping Pong, Podesta emails, or any Pizzagate-specific claim. The only source arguing otherwise (Zero Hedge) relies on debunked pattern-seeking logic. Congressional questioning on the topic also produced no supporting evidence.
“Jeffrey Epstein had a connection to the creation of the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants.”
There is no credible evidence linking Jeffrey Epstein to the creation of SpongeBob SquarePants. The show was developed entirely internally at Nickelodeon by marine biologist Stephen Hillenburg following his 1997 pitch, with no external investors or unusual connections involved. Multiple fact-checkers (Snopes, PolitiFact) have investigated and debunked this claim, tracing it to manipulated maps, fabricated address coincidences, and viral conspiracy content. Epstein's general entertainment-industry contacts do not constitute evidence of involvement with this specific show.
“Exposure to full moonlight overnight causes razor blades left outside to become dull.”
This is a folk myth with no scientific basis. Moonlight is reflected sunlight roughly 400,000 times weaker than direct sunlight — far too feeble to alter steel or drive meaningful oxidation overnight. Peer-reviewed MIT research shows razor blades dull through mechanical microchipping during use, not passive light exposure. No credible scientific study has ever demonstrated that moonlight dulls blades. The only "evidence" cited in support comes from anonymous forum posts proposing physically impossible mechanisms.
“Fast food chains add chemicals to their food that are intended to be addictive and encourage repeat purchases.”
There is strong peer-reviewed evidence that ultra-processed and fast foods are deliberately formulated with combinations of sugar, salt, fat, and flavor enhancers to maximize palatability and drive repeat consumption — with some industry documents revealing tobacco-like product design strategies. However, the claim's framing that chains add "chemicals intended to be addictive" significantly overstates the evidence. The "chemicals" involved are primarily ordinary ingredients optimized for reward, not exotic addictive agents. There is also no formal scientific or regulatory consensus classifying foods as addictive substances.
“Frequently charging a smartphone battery to 100% accelerates battery degradation compared to charging to lower levels.”
The claim is directionally accurate: peer-reviewed research confirms that higher state-of-charge accelerates lithium-ion battery degradation through well-understood mechanisms like SEI growth and lithium plating. Real-world smartphone tests also show measurably better capacity retention when charging is capped below 100%. However, the claim lacks important context: modern phones use battery management systems that reduce stress near full charge, and the practical effect over a typical phone's lifespan is often modest — not dramatic. The biggest factor is time spent at high charge levels, not simply reaching 100%.
“Drinking coffee late in the day can disrupt sleep for many people.”
The claim is well-supported by peer-reviewed evidence. A 2023 systematic review found caffeine reduces total sleep time by ~45 minutes, cuts sleep efficiency by 7%, and decreases deep sleep. Multiple clinical and academic sources corroborate these findings. The one dissenting source (NHLBI) is narrowly scoped. The claim's hedged language — "can disrupt" and "many people" — aligns with the evidence, though effects vary by dose, timing, genetics, and tolerance, which the claim doesn't specify.
“Lightning can strike the same location more than once.”
This claim is unambiguously true. NOAA, NASA, and multiple peer-reviewed studies confirm that lightning routinely strikes the same location more than once — across separate flashes and even separate storms. The Empire State Building is struck 20–25 times per year, and research has identified hundreds of "recurrent lightning spots" across natural terrain. The old saying "lightning never strikes twice" is a well-debunked myth.
“Water can simultaneously boil and freeze under specific pressure conditions.”
The claim is scientifically accurate. At water's triple point (~0.01°C and ~611 Pa), solid, liquid, and gas phases coexist in equilibrium, meaning the conditions for both boiling and freezing are simultaneously met. This is confirmed by NIST, peer-reviewed research, and multiple academic sources. The minor caveat: "simultaneously boil and freeze" slightly overstates the drama — it's thermodynamic equilibrium coexistence, not necessarily vigorous concurrent boiling and freezing — and the required pressure is just 0.6% of normal atmospheric pressure.
“Global mobile phone penetration rates exceed global basic sanitation coverage rates worldwide.”
This claim is misleading because its truth depends entirely on which definitions you use. If "mobile penetration" means SIM subscriptions per capita (~99 per 100 people, ITU), it exceeds any sanitation metric — but that figure is inflated by people owning multiple SIM cards. The more meaningful comparison is unique mobile subscribers (~69–70%, GSMA) versus "at least basic" sanitation coverage (~74–77%, WHO/UNICEF JMP). On that like-for-like basis, basic sanitation actually exceeds mobile phone penetration, reversing the claim.
“Fogvid-24 is a secret chemical or biological experiment.”
"Fogvid-24" is a conspiracy theory with no credible evidence behind it. No atmospheric testing, chemical analysis, or government documentation supports the claim that recent fog events are secret experiments. Scientists and authoritative outlets explain the phenomena as ordinary winter fog trapping existing pollutants, coinciding with seasonal respiratory illness. Even sources sympathetic to the theory concede there is "no official evidence" linking the fog to any secret operation. The existence of past programs like Operation Sea Spray does not prove current fog is engineered.
“A Hopi prophecy exists that predicts a political alliance between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.”
No authentic Hopi prophecy predicting a political alliance between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu exists in any credible source. Traditional Hopi oral traditions do not name modern political figures. The only fringe source linking Trump to a "red hat" Hopi motif never mentions Netanyahu. Much of the popular "Hopi prophecy" corpus was fabricated or distorted by non-Hopi individuals. The real-world existence of a Trump-Netanyahu political relationship does not validate a nonexistent prophecy.
“Albert Einstein performed poorly in mathematics during his years as a student.”
This is a well-known myth with no credible evidence behind it. Einstein's actual school records show he earned top marks in mathematics, including perfect 6/6 scores in algebra, geometry, and physics on his 1896 Swiss Matura certificate. He mastered calculus before age 15. His only notable academic setback—failing the Zurich Polytechnic entrance exam—was due to weak performance in non-science subjects like French, not mathematics. The myth likely originated from a 1935 Ripley's column and confusion over the Swiss grading scale.
“Bottled water is generally safer to drink than tap water in most European countries as of March 4, 2026.”
This claim is false. The European Commission states that tap water in most EU countries is "very good" and safe to drink, meeting or exceeding WHO standards. Over 95% of EU citizens receive tap water that meets EU safety requirements. EU tap water is actually tested more frequently and rigorously than bottled water, which is often repackaged municipal supply. New 2026 EU rules have further strengthened tap water standards, including mandatory PFAS monitoring. No credible evidence supports the claim that bottled water is generally safer across most of Europe.
“Norway generates more than 95% of its electricity from renewable sources as of March 4, 2026.”
Norway's electricity generation is well above 95% renewable. Statistics Norway (SSB) reports that hydro (87.8%) and wind (10.7%) together accounted for 98.5% of electricity generation in December 2025 — the most recent granular data available. This is corroborated by the European Environment Agency (~98%) and Enerdata (February 2026). Norway's renewable electricity share has been structurally above 95% for decades, and no evidence suggests any change by March 2026. The claim is accurate.
“Ellen DeGeneres is mentioned more than 115 times in the Epstein files.”
The claim that Ellen DeGeneres is mentioned "more than 115 times" in the Epstein files is not supported by any credible source. No publicly available index of the Epstein documents provides a verified mention count for DeGeneres. Multiple fact-checking outlets and higher-authority news sources describe her appearances in the files as incidental — largely in third-party correspondence and media recaps. The specific "115+" figure appears to originate from unverified social media claims with no documented methodology.
“Windows 12 is scheduled to launch in 2026.”
Windows 12 is not scheduled to launch in 2026. The rumor traces back to a single PCWorld article that was retracted by its own publisher for failing editorial standards. The highest-authority tech outlets — Windows Central and PC Gamer — cite direct Microsoft sources confirming there is no plan to ship Windows 12 this year. The "Hudson Valley" codename fueling speculation was actually Windows 11 24H2, which already shipped. Microsoft has made zero official announcements about Windows 12; expert projections point to 2027 at the earliest.
“Professional football players have a higher incidence of dementia compared to the general population.”
Multiple large, peer-reviewed cohort studies consistently show that former professional football players — whether soccer or American football — have significantly higher dementia incidence than the general population, with hazard ratios around 3.0–3.5x. The strongest evidence comes from a Scottish study of nearly 12,000 former professional soccer players matched against 36,000 controls. One small, preliminary study found no early-onset dementia in a handful of former NFL/NHL players, but it is far too limited to overturn the population-level evidence. The claim is well-supported with minor caveats.
“The placebo effect can occur even when individuals are aware they are receiving a placebo.”
This claim is true. Multiple peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and neuroimaging studies — from institutions including Harvard, Oxford, and NIH — consistently demonstrate that open-label placebos (given with full patient knowledge) can produce measurable clinical benefits across conditions like pain, stress, anxiety, and opioid use disorder. The key qualifier "can occur" is well-supported. However, effects vary by condition, may depend on contextual factors like clinician interaction, and systematic reviews note moderate certainty due to risk-of-bias concerns.