“The great Moon hoax”: intelligent animals and flying Selenites in the first great fake news of modern journalism

In 1835, the New York Sun published a series of articles claiming the discovery of intelligent life and winged humanoids on the moon, an event historically recognized as one of the first instances of mass-media misinformation. While often confused with the 1938 radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds, the lunar hoax serves as a distinct early example of sensationalist journalism designed to increase readership through fabricated scientific claims.

Separately, a judicial decision in Mar del Plata, Argentina, has granted house arrest to a local merchant accused of killing an adolescent during an alleged robbery. The suspect faces charges of aggravated homicide, a development that has prompted significant reactions from the local community, including family members and fellow business owners.