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.



Web Hoax Museum

Prankplace.com
REMOTE CONTROL FART MACHINE
The Brand New Fart Machine has “BoomBox” Technology, which allows more vibrant, natural sounding farts. Simply hide the little speaker, then from up to 100 feet away, press the included remote, and the hidden speaker lets out one of 15 disgusting fart sounds. Place under your co-workers desk, and let the laughter begin.

COVERT CLICKER
Secretly control the TV, anywhere, any time! This device is so small it is easily concealed in your pocket. It can control volume, change the channel or turn the TV on & off. It works on 90% of all TV's.


#53: Thomas Edison Invents Food Machine
1878: After Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877, Americans firmly believed that there were no limits to his genius. Therefore, when the New York Graphic announced in 1878 that Edison had invented a machine that could transform soil directly into cereal and water directly into wine, thereby ending the problem of world hunger, it found no shortage of willing believers.
Newspapers throughout America copied the article, heaping lavish praise on Edison. The conservative Buffalo Commercial Advertiser was particularly effusive in its praise, waxing eloquent about Edison's brilliance in a long editorial. The Graphic took the liberty of reprinting the Advertiser's editorial in full, placing above it a simple, two-word headline: "They Bite!"

Comments
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
Page 1 of 1 pages
...and the journalist responsible for the prank was fired?
Posted by paul in prague  on  Tue Nov 09, 2004  at  06:46 AM
Paul,

I laughed hardest at your response, because I remembered your statement on another hoax talking about the shame of everyone getting fired.
Posted by Bryan  in  Leavenworth, Kansas  on  Tue Apr 05, 2005  at  12:44 PM
Why fire someone for public ignorance and gullibility?

...is it because they're encrouching on the realms of politicians? raspberry
Posted by J. Lam  in  Canada  on  Wed Jun 01, 2005  at  08:24 PM
Reprinting the lavish praise with the title "They Bite!"..man that's just brilliant.
Posted by Ronald Vos  on  Mon Aug 14, 2006  at  07:30 AM
This must be where Star Trek got the idea.
Posted by Teresa  in  WA  on  Sun Apr 01, 2007  at  02:25 PM
Soil into Cereal...Oh my. Full of vitamins I'm sure.. Shouldnt they have been tipped off by the biblical "water into wine"?
Posted by Emelia  on  Wed Jan 30, 2008  at  02:51 AM
emilia, perhaps that's what made it more believable to them...
Posted by me  in  wa  on  Mon Mar 31, 2008  at  06:57 PM
Page 1 of 1 pages

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