Editor's note

As an academic recently told me, there’s something “compellingly bizarre and fun but also poignant about the idea that supposedly humankind’s greatest triumph was a hoax.” He was talking about the fact that, half a century after humans first walked on the moon, a large number of people don’t believe it actually happened. In the UK, about 12% believe the moon landings were faked. One recent poll, however, suggested that a staggering 73% of young people think they never took place (clearly we should take this with a pinch of salt).

We felt compelled to investigate the topic, shedding light on the flaws in the conspiracy theories claiming that the moon landings were staged in a film studio. As part of our global series of articles about the Apollo 11 moon landings, we have got experts writing about how moon landing conspiracy theories began and spread and why the actual footage would have been impossible to fake with the technology at the time.

Conspiracy theories about the moon landings are also at the heart of the second episode of our podcast To the moon and beyond, which looks at how people reacted to the historic event. Not only do we discover that belief in conspiracy theories varies widely around the world, we also find out what can be done to reduce belief in such ideas.

Perhaps US president Donald Trump, who loves a conspiracy theory, should have a listen. Though he is probably preoccupied, as the fallout continues following yesterday’s resignation of Kim Darroch as the UK’s ambassador to the US in the wake of leaked diplomatic cables. Trump’s reaction to Darroch’s leaked criticism, however, reeks of double standards.

And while there’s no shortage of conspiracy theories about climate change, they aren’t the biggest problem when it comes to meeting climate change targets. The UK’s targets are in fact world-leading. The issue is that no one seems to be in charge of implementing them.

Miriam Frankel

Science Editor

Top stories

Buzz Aldrin on the moon. NASA / Neil A. Armstrong

Moon landings footage would have been impossible to fake – a film expert explains why

Howard Berry, University of Hertfordshire

Conspiracy theorists claim NASA used the Apollo special camera to stage the moon landings in a studio and then slowed down the footage to make it look like there was less gravity.

NASA

How moon landing conspiracy theories began and why they persist today

Peter Knight, University of Manchester

They reflect wider concerns about the US – and its leaders.

Kim Darroch: not in Trump’s good books. Niall Carson/PA Wire

UK ambassador leaks: Donald Trump’s reaction to Kim Darroch’s criticism reeks of double standards

Dan Lomas, University of Salford

The leak of US dipomatic cables by Wikileaks revealed some equally frank assessments of British politicians.

Steve Allen / Shutterstock

The stark truth about UK government climate action: there is no one in charge

Rebecca Willis, Lancaster University

The Committee on Climate Change criticises slow progress, but has little to say about how to reconfigure government to make climate action a priority.

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