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.
Humanity Breaks Climate Records
In 2023 many regions experienced unusually severe heat, droughts, floods and storms. The Guardian surveyed 45 climate scientists worldwide who say these extreme events align with long-standing scientific predictions about global warming. However, the impacts are happening faster and more intensely than many models had forecast, in part because the return of El Niño is amplifying heat and weather extremes this year.
Irregular sleep linked to gut bacteria
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.
Brazil Amazon deforestation drops 60 percent
Brazil reported a major fall in Amazon deforestation in July: official figures say tree-clearing and burning dropped about 60 percent compared with the same month last year. The government and the environment minister attribute the decline to political changes and new administration policies, based on national monitoring systems. Scientists caution this reflects a single month and that short-term figures can be influenced by seasonal and reporting factors.
British doctor killed in Cape Town
A 40-year-old British doctor touring South Africa was shot and killed in Cape Town after turning into Ntlangano Crescent during violent street protests, authorities said. The incident occurred last Thursday when the general practitioner took a different route after leaving the airport. Multiple unidentified suspects confronted him and opened fire; he did not survive. South African police confirmed the death and said they were investigating the circumstances and seeking the attackers.