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.
Choose whichever real-feeling headline your imagination will run wildest with. Don't overthink it.

Scientists and doctors point out that many health problems run in families, and the diseases now affecting older baby boomers can offer a warning about what people might face later in life. Advances in DNA sequencing make it possible to find gene variants that raise the chances of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Identifying those risks early gives doctors and patients options for monitoring, preventive treatment and tailored medical care.

A YouGov survey carried out in 27 countries finds the Covid-19 pandemic has had the most severe mental-health effects on young people and on women. Younger respondents consistently reported higher levels of anxiety about their mental health and increased worries about their financial futures, while women were more likely than men to say the pandemic had harmed their wellbeing. The findings summarize self-reported experiences rather than identifying precise causes.

British intelligence services have asked lawmakers to change surveillance rules so they can use personal data to train artificial intelligence systems. The agencies say current safeguards and legal limits prevent them from applying modern AI tools to very large datasets, which they argue reduces their ability to detect threats and process communications quickly. They are proposing legal adjustments to allow broader automated analysis while keeping some privacy protections in place.

Researchers at King’s College London have reported links between irregular sleep patterns and changes in the gut microbiome. The study focused on “social jet lag,” where people shift their sleep timing between workdays and free days. Even a 90‑minute difference in the midpoint of sleep was associated with a microbiome profile that other studies have connected to poorer health, and the team also found associations with diet quality, eating habits and inflammation.