Build a conspiracy theory from scratch.
The best way to learn to spot a conspiracy theory is to make one yourself.
Pick a real news story. On the next step you'll choose who's behind it and why. Then walk through the four moves real conspiracists use, with a debunk on every step.
- Hunt anomalies — turn coincidence into evidence of a secret plot.
- Fabricate connections — draw lines between unrelated dots until they look meaningful.
- Dismiss counter-evidence — if a fact disagrees, make the fact part of the cover-up.
- Discredit the critics — dismiss people who point out flaws in your theory.
Pick the event.
Choose whichever real-feeling headline your imagination will run wildest with. Don't overthink it.
Jagger: Rock legend turned "Instagram Normie
Mick Jagger, the longtime frontman of the Rolling Stones, has been sharing unexpectedly ordinary moments from his tour life on Instagram. Instead of the usual glamorous or staged celebrity photos, his feed shows mundane outings—visits to local attractions, bars, strip malls and well‑known landmarks. He told The Washington Post that these images are less about spectacle and more about getting a feel for places, and he treats the account like a simple visual diary.
Email from Russia
Garry Kasparov, the Russian-born former world chess champion, has publicly endorsed Anatoly Fomenko’s “New Chronology,” a radical revision of world history. Fomenko’s thesis argues that much of what we call ancient history is misdated or duplicated and that the actual historical timeline is far shorter than commonly believed. Kasparov says he finds the questions it raises important and plans to spend more time promoting these ideas as he moves away from professional chess.
Scottish-Nordic similarity perceived by nationalists
Scottish nationalists argue that Scotland shares more in common with Nordic countries than with the rest of the United Kingdom. A YouGov poll found that between 52% and 61% of prospective SNP voters say Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway or Sweden are somewhat similar to Scotland, while only 31% of that group say England is similar. Those views are often cited to support calls for closer social and political alignment with Scandinavian models.
Oldest jellyfish species revealed in fossils
Scientists have identified Burgessomedusa phasmiformis as the oldest known swimming jellyfish, based on fossil specimens recovered from the Burgess Shale in Canada. These animals lived more than 500 million years ago during the Cambrian period. Researchers classify them as medusozoans, the group that includes modern jellyfish, and say the fossils provide direct evidence that jellyfish-like animals had already evolved by that time.