World’s Greatest Hoaxes

Recently, the "Monkey Man" menace in Delhi caused such a terror among people that children wetted their beds and elders were panic-stricken. It may be a hoax by all means.

A hoax is an intentional deception, which may be a harmless mischief or have a sinister aspect. Let us delve into history to look at some of the greatest hoaxes, which affected the minds of millions of people worldwide.

1869 - Cardiff, New York

In 1869 two workmen dug up a stone body which was 10-foot-tall and weighed 3,000-pounds. The men charged a hefty 50 cents per visitor to see the giant. Later paleontologists discovered that the body had tool marks and smooth surfaces. But still people pay to see the Cardiff Giant at the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.

1912 - Piltdown Common, England

Paleontologist Charles Dawson claimed he had unearthed skull fragments, which is the long sought after "missing link" between man and his prehistoric ancestors. It was displayed in the British Museum. But in 1953 it was found out that the skull fragments were the combination of human cranial pieces and an orangutan's jawbone.

1917 - Cottingley, England

Two English schoolgirls, Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths said they took photographs of winged fairies in the garden. Many people including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believed them. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle went to the extent of defending their claim in his book "The Coming of the Fairies". But skeptics said the fairy images were just cutout illustrations from a children's book. Sixty years later Elsie and Frances confessed that they had played a prank.

1980 - England

Mysterious geometrical patterns appeared in English wheat fields in the night. People came up with different theories including an extraterrestrial one. They thought aliens were trying to communicate with us. In September 1991, two elderly artists, Doug Bower and Dave Chorley showed how they created the circles at night using ropes and flat boards.