About the Museum
The Museum of Hoaxes is dedicated to promoting knowledge about hoaxes. (Click here for opening hours, etc.) On our blog we post about dubious- sounding claims, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The site is also home to the Hoaxipedia (the museum's online encyclopedia of hoaxes), and the Hoax Forum.

The museum was created in 1997 by Alex Boese. He's assisted by a staff of deputy curators and docents. Alex is the author of three books, most recently Elephants on Acid: And Other Bizarre Experiments (which has nothing to do with hoaxes). Check out the list of the Top 20 Most Bizarre Experiments of All Time for a preview.



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#71: Michigan Shark Experiment
In 1981 the Herald-News in Roscommon, Michigan reported that 3 lakes in northern Michigan had been selected to host "an in-depth study into the breeding and habits of several species of fresh-water sharks." Two thousand sharks were to be released into the lakes including blue sharks, hammerheads, and a few great whites. The experiment was designed to determine whether the sharks could survive in the cold climate of Michigan. The federal government was said to be spending $1.3 million to determine this. A representative from the National Biological Foundation was quoted as saying that there would probably be a noticeable decline in the populations of other fish in the lake because "the sharks will eat about 20 pounds of fish each per day, more as they get older." County officials were said to have protested the experiment, afraid of the hazard it would pose to fishermen and swimmers, but their complaints had been ignored by the federal government. Furthermore, fishermen had been forbidden from catching the sharks. The Herald-News received a flurry of letters in response to the announcement.

Comments
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
Page 1 of 1 pages
funny
Posted by Jodie  in  ohio  on  Wed Mar 17, 2004  at  11:01 AM
I heard that one when I lived in Kingsford,MI back then. It wasn't that believable.
Posted by Roger  in  Cudahy,Wi  on  Mon May 03, 2004  at  06:51 AM
dude people actually fell for that? Classic. big surprise
Posted by ~Sean~  on  Wed Mar 29, 2006  at  02:22 PM
Great whites and hammerheads aren't freshwater sharks - there's the clue it's a fake right there!
Posted by Michelleb  in  London  on  Mon Feb 19, 2007  at  04:43 AM
"Great whites and hammerheads aren't freshwater sharks - there's the clue it's a fake right there!"

Thank you, didnt know that until you came along wink
Posted by Seth  in  Detroit  on  Tue Apr 01, 2008  at  10:00 AM
Page 1 of 1 pages

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