Fake NewsMain MenuConnecticut's Own Bigfoot: The Winsted Wild Man"I Have Convinced Myself": The Cottingley Fairies and the Desire to BelieveCF0Going Viral: Disinformation and the Smallpox VaccineCigarettes: Advertising, Fake News and Fighting ScienceThe tobacco industry in the United States saw huge increases in sales in the 20th century. Industry leaders were early adopters of both advertising, public relations and more subtle forms of product promotion. As research mounted linking cancer to smoking, the industry started a campaign to fight the scientific evidence.Explore Themes in this ExhibitCovid - 19: Real Debates and Fake NewsAbout the AuthorsWe did this thingIndexImproved Index of Pages and MediaAmy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999Mary Mahoneyca438d2b6629f18e0407b5b2f43783336d4dc10aJoelle Thomas0feb3b2b7a8befeee2c7d2d710d303ed96772141
Cottingley Fairies: Gallery
12020-09-21T18:37:41+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce99911very realism, much convincinggallery2020-09-21T18:37:41+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999Contemporary debunkers noticed such features as the oddness of the lighting on the fairies and the lack of evidence of motion even when the figures seemed to have been caught mid-movement. Defenders of the photos' authenticity claimed that the lighting was affected by ectoplasm, which spiritualists held would naturally occur with an any supernatural manifestation, and suggested that the fairies moved so slowly that the camera could capture them easily without any blurring. Arthur Conan Doyle argued that while an expert could have faked the photos, Elsie and Frances lacked the skill and sophistication to have done so.
1media/37753612-D16F-4D46-B70D-741FBA37E229_thumb.jpeg2020-09-21T18:37:41+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999First Photo of Frances with Fairies1media/37753612-D16F-4D46-B70D-741FBA37E229.jpegplain2020-09-21T18:37:41+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999
12020-09-21T18:37:42+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999Second Photo of Elsie with Winged Gnome1plain2020-09-21T18:37:42+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999
12020-09-21T18:37:42+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999Third Photo of Francis and the Leaping Fairy1plain2020-09-21T18:37:42+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999
12020-09-21T18:37:42+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999Compare the first photo to the illustration in Princess Mary's Gift Book1Slider comparison of the first photo and the illustration from Princess Mary's Gift Bookplain2020-09-21T18:37:42+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999
