One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck Russia’s sparsely populated Far East in late July, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean. But a video compilation of giant waves supposedly depicting the aftermath of the tremor features old and unrelated footage.
A blockbuster study published in top science journal Nature in April 2024 warned that unchecked climate change could slash global GDP by a staggering 62 percent by century’s end, setting off alarm bells among financial institutions worldwide.
The Auschwitz-Birkenau museum in Poland recently sounded the alarm over a growing online trend of social media posts sharing AI-generated images of alleged Holocaust victims. In July 2025, pictures of a violinist playing in concentration camps spread across the internet, posted alongside a fabricated story. While musicians did play a part in life inside the Nazi-run camps, the image does not depict a real person, and visual inconsistencies point to the content likely being AI-generated.
A dramatic tale claiming a transgender surgery specialist connected to Brigitte Macron suspiciously died spread across social media following an online series from US conservative commentator Candace Owens which reignited conspiracy theories alleging the wife of the French president had formerly been a man. But the American podcaster’s claims are unfounded and precipitated a defamation lawsuit from the Macrons, while the reports of a doctor’s death are similarly fictitious; they rely on invention of a fabricated surgeon, manipulated media and the impersonation of journalists.
“I want to acknowledge the moment that’s been circulating online, and the disappointment it’s caused,” says the purported message. “What was supposed to be a night of music and joy turned into a deeply personal mistake playing out on a very public stage.”