General Knowledge
Real or Fake News Quiz
Truth is stranger than fiction — can you tell real headlines from fake ones?
Truth is stranger than fiction — can you tell real headlines from fake ones?
MIT research found that false news stories spread 6 times faster than true stories on social media. This 50-question quiz challenges your media literacy by mixing bizarre-but-real headlines with plausible fabrications, testing your knowledge of famous historical hoaxes, fact-checking organisations, and the psychological quirks that make misinformation so sticky. From the BBC's 1957 Spaghetti Tree broadcast to the illusory truth effect, sharpen your critical thinking with every question.
MIT research found that false news stories spread 6 times faster than true stories on social media. In an era of deepfakes, satirical sites, and algorithmically amplified outrage, the ability to distinguish fact from fiction has never been more important — or more difficult.
Each round presents 10 randomized multiple-choice questions drawn from a pool of 50. You'll get instant feedback with explanations after each answer, plus a shareable score at the end.
You'll explore bizarre-but-real headlines (Australia's Great Emu War, Switzerland accidentally invading Liechtenstein), famous historical hoaxes (the Cardiff Giant, the Piltdown Man, the BBC Spaghetti Tree), media literacy concepts like confirmation bias and the illusory truth effect, and how to use professional fact-checking tools to verify what you read online.
Key red flags include emotionally charged headlines, missing author bylines, URLs designed to mimic credible outlets, no corroboration from other sources, and manipulated dates. Fact-checkers like Snopes (founded 1994), PolitiFact, and FactCheck.org are reliable verification tools.
The BBC's 1957 Spaghetti Tree broadcast, Orson Welles's 1938 War of the Worlds radio drama, the Cardiff Giant carved stone hoax of 1869, and the Piltdown Man skull forgery of 1912 — which fooled scientists for 41 years — are among the most infamous.
A 2019 MIT study found false news is 70% more likely to be retweeted and spreads six times faster than true stories. False stories tend to be more novel and emotionally provocative, triggering stronger sharing impulses. Confirmation bias — sharing content that aligns with existing beliefs without verification — amplifies the effect.
Last updated: March 2026