urban legend

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Don't Worry, Your Smart Toothbrush Didn't Get Hacked

A viral story claiming 3M toothbrushes were breached appears to have been a translation miscue

(Newser) - If someone recently forwarded you an article saying your smart toothbrush was hacked, you are far from alone in a story that grew and stuck like ... plaque? First off, no, your toothbrush was not hacked. Second, many got this one wrong, including news outlets that published retractions following what Wired ...

Train Kills Woman Hunting for Fabled 'Goatman'

She was hit while walking on Louisville trestle

(Newser) - The search for a fabled "goatman" said to prowl an active 19th-century train trestle in Louisville, Ky., has led to tragedy. Roquel Bain, 26, who was visiting from Ohio, planned to go on a "haunted" tour of Louisville's former tuberculosis clinic with her boyfriend Saturday when the...

Inside Dark Origins of 'Slender Man' Who Inspired Girl's Stabbing

Internet meme began on 2009 forum

(Newser) - Two 12-year-old girls who allegedly stabbed their friend in the woods of Waukesha, Wis., offered a chilling explanation for their actions: They'd been driven by "Slender Man," a mythical figure who's made the rounds on the Internet since 2009. But there are no deep, mysterious roots...

5 Myths About Titanic
 5 Myths About Titanic 
Apr 8, 2012 7:28 AM CDT

5 Myths About Titanic

Few thought it was 'unsinkable' before the tragedy

(Newser) - With the anniversary of the Titanic's sinking in the news, the BBC busts what it says are five myths that have emerged over the years, including:
  • 'Unsinkable': The idea that people viewed the ship as unsinkable before the tragedy might be the biggest urban legend of all, says
...

Rome Earthquake 'Prophecy' Sparks Panic
 'Quake Prophecy' Panics Rome 
May 11, 2011 6:00 AM CDT

'Quake Prophecy' Panics Rome

Thousands flee city amid rumors of major quake today

(Newser) - Thousands of Romans unsettled by rumors of an impending earthquake have decided that today is a good day to get out of Rome. A rumor that has spread widely online holds that seismologist Raffaele Bendandi—who died in 1979—predicted that a devastating earthquake would hit Rome on May 11,...

The Truth Behind 6 Legendary Lawsuits

There was a good reason to sue over hot coffee

(Newser) - We’ve all heard the complaints: America is the land of lawsuits, the kind of place that has to label its coffee with “Warning: Hot!” But Cracked takes a second look at the frivolous lawsuits of legend:
  • Woman sues McDonald’s for millions ... because her coffee was hot.
...

Snopes Founders: People Are Suckers
Snopes Founders: People
Are Suckers
Apr 5, 2010 12:55 PM CDT

Snopes Founders: People Are Suckers

Please, stop falling for that Nigerian scam

(Newser) - The founders of Snopes.com started out investigating the origins of urban legends like the serial killer with a hook for a hand; 14 years later, their site is a major source of information for people seeking the real story behind political rumors. “When you’re looking at truth...

Relax, World Isn't Ending in 2012

Scientists are busy debunking growing urban legend

(Newser) - The statement issued by a Los Angeles observatory and Sky & Telescope magazine this week says it all: "The world will not come to an end on Dec. 21, 2012." It seems a confluence of events—the coming end of the Mayan calendar, for one, and the...

Vodka Tampons? A Ridiculous Myth
 Vodka Tampons? 
 A Ridiculous Myth 
OPINION
Aug 28, 2009 3:00 PM CDT

Vodka Tampons? A Ridiculous Myth

Most teens won't bother with anal beer bongs, either

(Newser) - The Internet’s been all atwitter with talk of vodka-soaked tampons and anal beer bongs, supposedly new fads in teenage intoxication. The talk stems from an Arizona TV news piece in which a rehab spokeswoman, Stephanie Siete, said teens were shoving liquor into their unmentionables to hurry it into the...

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