Real or Fake?

Wow, this story claims a 101-year-old man finished a marathon! What do you think? Is it a fact, or fake?

• This one sounds like a fact to me.

• I’m not so sure, I think this one is a fake.

Answer explanation

According to the BBC, a man named Fauja Singh ran a 10K race in one hour and 32 minutes! The human body is amazing! And if you take care of it and exercise, you might be able to run a marathon when you're 101 years old too!

This article says researchers think that cookies are super healthy. What do you think? Fact or fake?

• Well if researchers said it, it must be true.

• I’m pretty sure cookies aren’t very good for you. It’s a fake.

Answer explanation

This article is fake. Sometimes an article will make you think it's true because it will say something like "researchers say." But don't be fooled! Really think about what the article is saying. In this case, we know that fruits and veggies are a much healthier snack than cookies are. Don't be afraid to ask questions about what you see online!

Here’s a story claiming a polar bear and penguin got into a fight, and that the penguin won! Do you think it’s a fact or a fake?

• Anything is possible! I say this one is real.

• No way. This is a fake.

Answer explanation

This story is fake! Even though both penguins and polar bears live in cold climates, that doesn't mean they are in the same place! Polar bears live in the Arctic while Penguins live in Antarctica. This means that they would never encounter each other in the wild, and could never get into a fight.

Uh-oh. This chilly story says a boy had to be rescued after their tongue got stuck to a frozen pole! Ouch! Do you think this one is real?

• This one sounds really funny, but I think it’s a fact.

• This is a fake, the human tongue isn’t sticky.

Answer explanation

Ouch! This sounds painful but you're right it's a fact! If you lick a cold pole or metal in the winter, your tongue could get stuck! According to CBS, this happened to one boy in Oklahoma who had to get paramedics to help.

This article says officials are warning that Niagara Falls will be all out of water by next year. Fact or fake?

• I think this one’s a fact.

• Niagara Falls has plenty of water. It’s a fake.

Answer explanation

It’s a fake! Just because an article says that officials have said it's true, doesn't mean it is! Do some research, ask some questions and become a story sleuth. If you look up when Niagara Falls will dry up, you'll find that it won't be for thousands of years!