Warm-up Activity - Is That A Fact? - NASA faked the Moon landings

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Is That A Fact?

NASA faked the Moon landings.

So claimed FOX TV in a one hour documentary broadcast in February 2001 (repeated in March 2001).

To a scientifically illiterate public, its claims might seem plausible. However, taken one at a time by knowledgeable people, they quickly fall apart. Here are links to sites demonstrating reason in action.

Phil Plait's BAD Astronomy site responds to the claims made in the broadcast
BAD Astronomy also provides links to debunker and conspiracy theorist sites
Crank.net's links to arguments of all types (rated from anti-crank to crankiest with a parody or two thrown in)
Luna Ticks shows the allegations and the evidence side by side
NASA responds, or does it? Space.com reports that it has trouble figuring out how to do so.
The Straight Dope weighs in
The Statistical Assessment Service's valuable rebuttal summary
What the Urban Legends page has to say

In July 1999 (the 30th anniversary of the first moon landing), the Gallup Organization asked adult Americans (ages 18+) if they believed that NASA had faked the moon landings; 6% responded, "Yes". 6% may seem like a small number, but given the size of the population of the U.S., it translates into more than 12 million people. Come to think of it, a number that large might explain Fox's decision to broadcast their program. The Internet Archive has preserved the Gallup Poll results for posterity.

Finally, as hard as it is for me to believe, it turns out that some of the people who believe in faked Moon landings also believe the Earth is flat.

By the way, if you liked Phil Plait's BAD Astronomy web site, you might also want to read his Bad Astronomy book.

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