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Recently, the term 'Fake news' has become really popular, but with today's photo editing tools, even those of us with the most observant eyes may easily be fooled. From the viral rice wave to the famous photo of the first dab in history, how many of these photos do you believed to be 100% real? This list compiled by Bored Panda will show you the reality and sometimes the ugly truth behind Internet-famous photos so prepare yourself for some eye-opening shots that will prove once again - you can't trust everything you see online.

#1

Behind The Scenes Photo Of MGM Intro

Lion in MRI scanner, mistaken for MGM logo recording, highlighting fake viral photos believed real.

A photo of a lion strapped onto a machine in order to make the iconic MGM intro of a lion roaring is actually a photo of a lion being diagnosed at the vet's office. Luckily, the lion made a wonderful recovery and is now completely healthy. Also, an interesting fact is that there have been 7 lions that were used to create the MGM intro, the current one, who's name is Leo, has appeared in most of the movies since 1957.

Hai-Kef zoo Report

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Ryo Bakura
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Why am I here?" "You're going to have a CAT scan." "Don't try to be funny, or I'll eat your face."

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    #2

    The Mustache Wasn't Enough, They Had To Add Those Angry Eyebrows

    Cat with unique fur pattern resembling a mustache and eyebrows, a fake viral photo believed to be real.

    The internet just loves animals, especially if they look weird or cute, or both at the same time. So there is no surprise that a photo of a cat with adorable mustache and eyebrows would go viral. Well, there is a silver lining to this story, the cat does in fact have that incredible mustache, but the eyebrows are a result of clever photo manipulation.

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    Ryo Bakura
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That cat is called Basil. I don't care if I'm proven wrong, it looks like a Basil, so it's now to be called Basil.

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    #3

    A Guy Creating An Amazing Fried Rice Wave

    Man posing with a large fake wave made of rice in a wok; a viral photo people believed was real.

    One of the recent viral sensations was the 'fried rice meme' that showed a man making an incredible rice wave in his pan. This interesting photo quickly received a lot of attention online and people from all around the world started to send in their own photoshopped images of the rice wave. Unfortunately, the original itself is already a fake photo since the rice wave is a sculpture that is sold in a fake food shop in Tokyo.

    GeneReddit123 Report

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    Ryo Bakura
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "What kind of art are kids into these days?" "I was thinking about making a sculpture of a large wave of rice." "Great idea! Get on it as soon as possible! We are Japanese, and this is typical behaviour for us!"

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    #4

    Astronaut Smoking Marijuana In Space

    Astronaut humorously holds a bag of floating objects, illustrating a fake viral photo in zero gravity.

    It's safe to say that Chris Hadfield is one of the most beloved Astronauts there is. His incredible vlogs from space answered so many questions about life in zero gravity, from cleaning your teeth to sleeping, everything is different in space. Although this form of vlogging is very one-of-a-kind, you shouldn't think that this incredible guy would use any type of drugs while literally flying in space. In the real photo, Chris was actually just trying to surprise his co-workers with some Easter eggs!

    Space Report

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    #5

    Magical Castle

    Castle on a rock formation with a canoe nearby, part of viral photos believed real.

    This magical castle that probably most of us would love to visit or even stay in is unfortunately a combination of a photo of a rock in Thailand and a castle in Germany.

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    #6

    Not-So-Planned College Name Sign

    "College of Architecture and Planning sign with humorous spacing error, a popular fake viral photo."

    Some time ago this famous image was an absolute representation of internet humor, the ironic mistake was something that people constantly shared online. Unfortunately, the photo was photoshopped so well, it wasn't so easy to understand it was actually fake.

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    spirit wolf
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    But does anyone else notice the figure inside the glass wall in the actual picture?

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    #7

    Dangerous Pilot Selfie

    Pilot taking a fake selfie from airplane cockpit, mid-flight and on runway, illustrating viral photo misconceptions.

    This iconic selfie of a pilot photographing himself in the air was actually a photo of him when he was safely landed, but it's important to mention, that even on the land, it's a pretty cool selfie!

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    Ryo Bakura
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you fell for this one, you deserve to be sucked out of a plane cockpit, and into a jet engine.

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    #8

    A Kid Sleeping Near His Deceased Parents' Graves In Syria

    Child lying and sitting on fake graves, illustrating a viral photo believed real.

    A photo of a kid sleeping near his deceased parents' grave in Syria turned out to a piece of staged photography since the kid knew the photographer and the graves did not belong to his parents. Although this type of photojournalism is still completely heartbreaking it proves once again you can't trust everything you see online.

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    Kjorn
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    journalism was once a respectable profession… so many use it to push their agenda and they point of view instead of bring the news

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    #9

    Frozen Venice

    Fake viral photos showing a frozen Venice canal, a gondola on water, and an icy landscape.

    Venice is definitely one of the most beautiful places to visit around the world so there is no need to photoshop a photo of frozen Lake Baikal in Russia to make the place look even more stunning.

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    #10

    Perfect Lenticular Clouds

    Lenticular clouds over a mountain, resembling layered UFOs; an example of fake viral photos believed to be real.

    Lenticular clouds are already pretty cool as they are, and there is no need for excessive photoshop to make them look better. Unfortunately, the author of the photoshopped version didn't really think that way. Well, we guess the whole internet didn't think that way, since the fake photo became a desktop of choice for many people.

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    #11

    Woman Squatting Like A Frog

    Woman in a bank, humorously posed climbing the counter, illustrating a fake viral photo people believed was real.

    One of the most recent viral sensations was a woman weirdly squatting on a tiny shelf. Turns out she only lifted one leg, which, to be honest, is still kinda weird.

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    #12

    Unique Black Lion

    Black and white lions lying side by side on grass, showcasing fake viral photos.

    If we could make a list of the internet's most beloved topics, weird animals would definitely have their place in the top 10. It seems that finding weird and unique species is something everyone thrives in, and although it is a cool thing to come across a unique animal, there is no need to create one with photoshop, or if you're doing so, please do not try to trick people into thinking it actually exists.

    pavoldvorsky , Dennis Painting Report

    #13

    Moon Perfectly Fitting On A Skyscraper

    Fake viral photo of Burj Al Arab with moon alignment; real scene on the right showing moon separate from building.

    There's is a weird obsession with moons in viral photos, it seems that if you really want to have a popular photo, just add a moon in the most unrealistic place and there you have it. That's exactly what happened with this photo taken by Mo Aoun.


    AstronomyHD , Mo Aoun Report

    #14

    #10yearschallenge Against Deforestation

    Comparison of forest density from 2009 to 2019, highlighting deforestation concerns with viral fake photo context.

    Recently the hashtag #10yearchallenge went viral with people from all around the world sharing their changes throughout the years. Some people decided to use the hashtag to warn people about the terrible impact we are having on this earth. One of the biggest environmental problems in 21st century is deforestation, and that's exactly what people tried to warn us about. Unfortunately, the image that was used to spread the message was fake - the before and after photos of a rainforest cut down completely was actually the same photo.

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    Ryo Bakura
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The photo may be fake, but the problem is real. Just like the Kardashians.

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    #15

    Bear Chasing A Cycler

    Cyclist being chased by a bear on a snowy road in one image and the bear alone in another; example of fake viral photos.

    Even though a photo of a bear chasing a cyclist will have a far bigger effect on you than a photo of a bear running through an empty street, luckily, nobody was harmed in the making of this photo. Although there's not much information about the original photo, it is believed the photo was taken Yellowstone National Park.

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    Kjorn
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i think the bear could've reach the cycler. bear can run pretty fast

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    #16

    A Photo Of Marilyn Monroe And Elizabeth Taylor

    Two vintage portraits featuring women posing by a tree, often mistaken for real, in black and white tones.

    Oh how cool would it be to have two beauty icons chilling in one photo. Unfortunately, Elizabeth Taylor was photoshopped into a picture of Marilyn Monroe. In fact, this is not the first time Marilyn Monroe's photos were photoshopped to seem that she is spending time with iconic celebrities such as Elvis Presley, James Dean, and even John F. Kennedy.

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    #17

    First Dab In The History

    Soldiers posed on ship, top photo in black and white, bottom in color, showcasing fake viral photos believed real.

    Although all of us would hope that the first dab was captured back in the 20th century, meaning this iconic movement will never age, unfortunately, this photo is actually a behind-the-scenes photo from the movie Dunkirk, shot in 2017.

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    Frankenfrog
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The dab is in top 5 of absolutely r******d idiotic things the human race has invented

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    #18

    Photo Of The Space Shuttle

    Rocket emerging through clouds, a fake viral photo believed real.

    A magnificent photo of a space shuttle once again fooled many people and it quickly became a popular image to share online. What bothered many people is the need to even photoshop the image since the original one is already really cool as it is.

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    Ryo Bakura
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How can anyone fall for that? For starters, it's not breaking the clouds, and second, anything in the shuttle's airspace would cause the launch to be abandoned, even if it was as small as a drone.

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    #19

    Picture Of A Dwarf Giraffe

    Giraffe with a short neck compared to a regular one, illustrating a fake viral photo.

    A photo of a giraffe with dwarfism has been used online multiple times, although giraffes, like other animals, can have dwarfism, this photo is actually fake.

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    #20

    Bear Chasing National Geographic Photographers

    People running from a bear in a grassy field, highlighting fake viral photos believed to be real.

    A photo showing a bear chasing a group of National Geographic photographers would send shivers down anyone's spine. Just imagining being in such a dangerous situation is terrifying. But since we have already proved there's no point in believing everything you see online, you can stop feeling bad about these photographer,s since the bear in the photo is actually captured in a stock photo that can be easily found online.

    EunByuL , Juha Soininen Report

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    Withnail
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The guy on the left gives it away with his smile. They were in Colorado for a film that was never produced and thought it would be funny to send a prank photo to their friends and families. Full story here: https://gizmodo.com/behind-the-scenes-of-behind-the-scenes-at-national-geo-1679697812

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    #21

    Giant Skeleton Found

    Man examining fake dinosaur fossils, illustrating viral photo hoax.

    The internet is filled with photoshopped images of archaeologists finding huge skeletons that might belong to giants. If this was the reality, a new chapter in history would be open and we could consider some myths to be true. Unfortunately, no science or history museum has ever accepted these findings for one simple reason: the photos that show these skeletons are completely fake.

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    Alia G.
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm honestly impressed by the photo shop on these though. They look really realistic.

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    #22

    An Island That Looks Like A Star

    Fake viral photo of an island shaped like a crescent and star, debunked by comparison with an actual island shape.

    Photos like this will definitely in spark you a great desire to travel. Imagine yourself sipping on a delicious cocktail while chilling on an island in the middle of the ocean that is a shape of a star. Well, unfortunately, such an island doesn't exist, but what you can do is visit the moon-shaped island Molokini, located between the islands of Maui and Kahoolawein Hawaii.

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    #23

    Cow Chilling On A Car

    Cow sitting humorously on a parked car, highlighting fake viral photos believed to be real.

    The internet is full of photoshopped pictures that just don't make any sense and somehow we still manage to believe them. One of those fake viral photos was a picture of a cow chilling on a BMW. Well turns out, no car was damaged in the making of this photo since the cow was chilling on the grass like it was supposed to.

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    #24

    Photo Of India

    Fake viral photo comparing India from space during Diwali versus a regular night, highlighting city lights.

    A magical photo of India during the Hindu festival is actually a composite of satellite images shaded different colors. 

    earthsky Report

    #25

    Einstein Riding A Bicycle As A-Bomb Explodes

    Einstein on a bike with a nuclear explosion in background, an example of fake viral photos believed to be real.

    This photo of an explosion was actually taken 7 years after Einstein's death, so even if cool guys don't look at explosions, this was definitely not the case.

    snopes Report

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    #26

    Paris Hilton's Offensive T-Shirt

    Blonde woman in a skirt wearing a shirt with a misleading slogan; example of a fake viral photo believed to be real.

    The famous celebrity Paris Hilton is mostly known for spending a huge amount of money on things none of us could possibly afford. Even though this person doesn't have any problem with publicly showing her inherited money, she's definitely not that ignorant to wear a t-shirt that calls other people poor. She just calls them... desperate. Well, it's better than poor. Right?

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    Just a Purpler
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ok but am I the only one annoyed at how low her skirt is? Like I just feel like that would be uncomfortable and I keep getting the urge to pull up my own pants XD

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    #27

    Turtle Mountain

    Fake viral photo of a mountain resembling a turtle's face, paired with the real mountain view.

    This would be an amazing mountain to visit, but if it actually existed, there is a great chance you would know more about it and more people would visit it. Also, there would be a far greater amount of photos from this location. So, when somebody went to that location and actually captured the mountain, it was no surprise that the "Turtle Mountain" is actually just the simple, yet beautiful ""Pilot Mountain" in North Carolina.

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    #28

    Romney Family Misspelling Their Last Name

    Fake viral photo showing group with shirts spelling "Money" and "Romney" in front of an American flag.

    There is always a lot of controversy and fake news during the elections, especially in a country as big as the USA. So, there is no surprise that back when Mitt Romney was running for president, people were trying their best to ruin his campaign. One piece of fake news that surfed the media was a fake photo of Romney's spelling the word 'Money' instead of his last name 'Romney'.

    Ap Report

    #29

    Viral Photo Of A Pooping Cheerleader

    Cheerleaders performing a stunt on a field; a comparison of two similar, edited photos.

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    Katinka Min
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You can ruin somone's life with that sort of thing. I actually saw and believed it and felt deeply sorry for the girl. Imagine this really happening and the whole world laughing about it. And, now, she has to run around explaining that this did NOT happen.

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    #30

    A Photo Of A Tourist Taken Moments Before 9/11

    Man on skyscraper observation deck with fake plane edited in; an example of fake viral photo.

    The horrible 9/11 story still remains a mystery for the most part, various conspiracy theories surf the Internet without anyone giving the real answers. So, there's no doubt that when a photo taken just a moment before the tragedy happened was posted online, people quickly started sharing it. Well, luckily the man in the photo did not witness the tragedy take place. That's probably the only good thing there is to say about this awful event.

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    Freya the Wanderer
    Community Member
    5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This picture was featured on Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tourist-wtc-911/ People had a field day lampooning it, substituting everything from Snoopy on his flying doghouse to the USS Enterprise (as in Star Trek) for the plane.

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