This Photo Is an Artwork, Not a Natural Phenomenon
The Claim
The photo depicts the '“Lava Moon" a natural phenomenon.
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Emerging story
A photo purportedly depicting the "Lava Moon," a natural phenomenon in which the moon melts into a waterfall, has recently gone viral. Tweets featuring the image got thousands of likes.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be fake.
The photo circulating does not depict a natural phenomenon; it is an artwork.
Artwork by Micah Diele
On March 17, 2021, the artist Micah Diele published the photo on Reddit's community of landscape photographers and Earth lovers.
In his post, Diele mentioned that this illustration was generated by merging two photos of Yosemite National Park and Horsetail Falls.
We also found the actual photo on the artist's website, where he explains himself as a Central Valley-based freelance filmmaker and photographer.
Digitally Altered Visuals Featuring the Moon
Misbar previously debunked a viral video purporting it shows the moon rising in the “Artice” circle between Russia and Canada. Our team found that the original video was computer-generated.
We also debunked a viral photo that purported to show the real moon from an angle that made it look like a basketball. The original photo of the basket was digitally altered to include the moon.
Doctored Visuals Spread Misinformation
Misbar has observed that misinformation online is primarily generated and supported by altered and edited images, particularly when the photo contains digitally unrealistic and shocking visuals.
Doctored visuals have contributed to promoting misinformation by triggering emotional reactions, such as surprise, anger, or joy.
Hundreds of manipulated photos that attracted thousands of internet users were exposed and debunked by our team.
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