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.
Fixing the British Museum's Anachronism
The British Museum is dealing with a major internal crisis after allegations that a senior curator removed and sold roughly 2,000 items from its collection via eBay. Reports say the revelations prompted the museum director to resign and have led to calls for an independent review. The case has drawn attention to weaknesses in oversight and controls at one of the world’s largest museums, raising questions about how objects are tracked and safeguarded.
Airline to weigh passengers pre-flight.
South Korea's flag carrier Korean Air will begin weighing passengers and their carry-on luggage at Gimpo and Incheon airports. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation has required the checks to collect actual passenger weights for aircraft weight-and-balance calculations. Airline officials say measuring passengers helps crews calculate load distribution, takeoff performance, and fuel needs more accurately than relying on assumed average weights. Officials emphasize it is about technical calculations, not personal data collection.
Global Views on American Cultural Influence
A YouGov survey carried out in nine countries across Europe, Australia and Singapore measured public views on American cultural influence. The study found that most people recognize U.S. impact in entertainment: 66% to 89% of respondents said American movies, television and music shape their local culture. Roughly half also reported significant American influence in news media, national political norms, everyday language and consumer brands, showing that perceptions extend beyond entertainment.
Australia warns of climate disruptions
An Australian thinktank, the Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration, has warned federal politicians that climate change could cause widespread disruption across the Asia‑Pacific by mid‑century. Its briefing sketches scenarios including failed states, large movements of people fleeing uninhabitable areas, and growing competition for scarce resources such as fresh water. The group says these shifts could trigger regional instability, economic shocks and damage to critical infrastructure, underlining the scale of the risk.