10 Fun Facts About April Fools Day News Stories Quiz

Which news organization famously reported in 1957 on a successful spaghetti harvest from trees in Switzerland?

In 1957, the BBC's current affairs program 'Panorama' aired a three-minute segment showing Swiss farmers harvesting spaghetti from trees. Many viewers, unfamiliar with how spaghetti was made, genuinely believed the report and called the BBC for advice on growing their own spaghetti trees.

What fast-food chain announced in 1996 that it had purchased a historic American landmark to help reduce the national debt?

Taco Bell took out full-page advertisements in major US newspapers on April 1, 1996, claiming they had bought the Liberty Bell and renamed it the 'Taco Liberty Bell' to help reduce the national debt. The prank caused a stir, with many people calling the National Park Service in outrage.

In 1977, a British newspaper published a detailed supplement about a fictional island nation called San Serriffe. Which newspaper was it?

The Guardian published a seven-page hoax supplement on April 1, 1977, describing the fictional island nation of San Serriffe. The country's geography and names were filled with puns related to typography, such as 'Upper Caisse' and 'Lower Caisse' (referencing uppercase and lowercase).

In 1962, a Swedish public television station aired a report on how to convert black-and-white television broadcasts into color using what household item?

Kjell Stensson, a technical expert on Sweden's only television channel, SVT, reported that viewers could convert their black-and-white sets to color by stretching a nylon stocking over the screen. Thousands of people reportedly tried the trick.

What fast-food company introduced a 'Left-Handed Whopper' in 1998, claiming to redesign the burger for southpaws?

Burger King announced the 'Left-Handed Whopper' in a full-page advertisement in USA Today on April 1, 1998, stating that all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees to prevent left-handed eaters from having ingredients squish out the other side. Many customers reportedly went to stores requesting the special burger.

In 1992, NPR's 'Talk of the Nation' program reported that which former US President was running for office again with a new campaign slogan?

NPR's 'Talk of the Nation' announced on April 1, 1992, that Richard Nixon was running for president again with the slogan 'I didn't do anything wrong, and I won't do it again.' The segment featured an impersonator and caused a flurry of calls from outraged listeners.

In 2008, the BBC released a video claiming that which animal had developed the ability to fly and migrate to tropical rainforests?

The BBC produced a highly convincing mockumentary trailer called 'Miracles of Evolution' on April 1, 2008, showing Adélie penguins taking flight and migrating to the Amazon rainforest. The hoax was narrated by Terry Jones of Monty Python fame.

In 2000, Google launched its first April Fools' Day prank, a fictional technology that allowed users to search by projecting their thoughts. What was it called?

Google's first April Fools' Day hoax in 2000 was 'MentalPlex,' which invited users to stare at an animated GIF and mentally project their search query. Clicking the 'search' button then displayed humorous error messages.

What technology company announced a fictional 'Petlexa' feature in 2017, allowing pets to communicate with their smart home devices?

Amazon introduced 'Petlexa' as an April Fools' Day prank in 2017, a satirical feature for its Alexa voice assistant that claimed to allow dogs, cats, and other pets to communicate with Echo devices and order products or control smart home features.

In 1965, the BBC aired an interview with a professor who claimed to have invented 'Smell-O-Vision,' a technology that allowed viewers to experience what through their TV screens?

The BBC's 1965 April Fools' Day prank featured an interview with a professor who demonstrated his 'Smell-O-Vision' technology, claiming it could transmit aromas like coffee and onions through television sets. Viewers reportedly called in to confirm they could smell them.