8 Bonkers Hoaxes That Actually Fooled People

1. Alternative 3

In June of 1977, British TV channel ITV broadcast a documentary as part of their Science Report series Called Alternative 3.

At the opening of the show, it was announced that it had originally been intended to document the "brain-drain" phenomenon, about how British scientists were leaving the country to find higher-paying jobs elsewhere. They claimed, however, that during their investigations, they had uncovered the revelation that the scientists weren't just leaving the country, but disappearing off the planet.

The documentary claimed to reveal a global conspiracy orchestrated by the American and Soviet governments that, having learnt that the planet was facing environmental disaster, were left with three options:

1. Drastically reduce the human population on Earth

2. Construct vast underground shelters for government officials until the situation resolved itself

3. Establish a "Noah's Ark" colony of humanity's most intelligent citizens on Mars

It was claimed that the Americans and the Russians had decided to collaborate on "Alternative 3" and, through mock interviews with astronauts, NASA officials and scientists, it was revealed that the "space race" and the Apollo program had simply been a cover for getting as many scientists as possible off-world.

The po-faced presentation of the documentary led many to believe that it was real, and some were so convinced that they continued to believe it, even after the show's producers came out and admitted it was all a joke. Presumably they were convinced that the Americans and Russians had "got to them".

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