Moon Landing Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy Theories Fenster discussion pp1-2 Two propositions about conspiracy theories –Margins (believed only by extremists, about secret cabals) –Centre (believed [“believed”] by almost everyone, about almost anything) Argue that CTs are integral to modern life Example of Da Vinci Code; examine Moon Landing.

History of the theories 1969 Some sceptical opinions were voiced at the time 1974 Bill Kaysing, We Never Went to the MoonBill Kaysing 1978 Capricorn One movie (Mars)Capricorn One 1992 Ralph Rene, NASA Mooned AmericaRalph Rene 1997 James Collier Was it Only a Paper Moon?James Collier 1999 David Percy Dark Moon (and in Fortean Times)David Percy Marcus Allen in Nexus magazineMarcus Allen 2001 Bart Sibrel, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon (DVD)Bart Sibrel, 2001 Fox TV special Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?Fox TV And, of course, the web… (3.8m hits on 10/09)3.8m hits on 10/09

How many disbelieve? 1970 Knight poll found 30% Americans were suspicious 1999 Gallup poll found 6% doubtful, 5% don’t know 2001 Fox TV claimed 20% disbelieved 2002 Popularity from MSNBC News reportMSNBC News report 2006 Ditmar poll found 26% of yr old college educated Americans were doubtful & 10% rated it highly unlikely that Americans landed on the moon. Not what we might expect

Details and Evidence Scenarios: –Complete hoax, partial hoax, failed technology, impossible Motives: –Cold War prestige or distraction, JFK’s promise Evidence: Photographs are the most popular evidencePhotographsevidence –See Mythbusters photo testMythbusters –High quality images Aldrin 1 Aldrin 2 Aldrin 3High quality imagesAldrin 1 Aldrin 2Aldrin 3 1/6 gravity: –wires vs Mythbusters moonwalk testwiresMythbusters The web gives multiple expert vs expertexpert

Reasons for such belief? Part of the general decline of trust in authority since 1990s (not just in government, also science – other examples?) As such is actually also a theory about the present Reveals our era has profound doubts about technology (global warming?) Probably also a result of the achievement itself (could we repeat it today?) Is retro-active (has grown recently, looks backwards, “re-maps” history) All that makes it more likely to come from young, educated and sceptical people

Rebuttals At first few, as the theory was not considered worth dignifying with a reply NASA’s attitude was one of dismissal –2002 cancelled book by James Oberg Has been left to websites such as Bad Astronomy and and ClaviusBad Astronomy Clavius 2006 Discovery Channel produced Moon Hoax Challenged 2007 moonwalker Charlie Duke In the Shadow of the Moon coda said: –"We've been to the Moon nine times. Why would we fake it nine times, if we faked it?" 2008 Mythbusters special – meaning?Mythbustersspecial

Wider and wider Now part of the general mass of conspiracy theories about US governmentpart ofgeneral And bigger theories about space such as Richard Hoagland and Dark MissionHoaglandDark Mission Subject of Spoofs The Onion and the resultSpoofs Onion result Complexity - hoaxed hoaxes. See Fact or Fake about Stanley KubrickFact or Fake

Final Answers? Final answers? NASA’s return to the Moon in 2020 (if the Chinese aren’t first), more than 50 years laterreturn The relics still on the lunar surface New images of the landersimageslanders But does that really close the book?

Conclusions What does the popularity of this conspiracy theory tell us? –About the actual subject (the moon landing) –About wider concerns (about technology, national self-confidence, achievement?) –About how evidence, belief and imagination work in CTs? –About how these relate not to the 1960s but to the 2000s?