April Fool’s Day gives even the most sober folks a chance to let loose, and over the decades the world has seen some truly outrageous tricks. Below you’ll find the top 15 april hoaxes that managed to baffle, amuse, and sometimes even outrage the public.
Top 15 April Hoaxes Overview
From bra‑induced broadcast interference to a fake spaghetti harvest, each of these schemes proves that a little imagination can cause a lot of commotion.
15 The Case of the Interfering Brassieres
In 1982 the Daily Mail ran a story claiming that a local factory had unintentionally released 10,000 “rogue bras” that caused a bizarre public nuisance. The wires inside these undergarments were supposedly made from a copper alloy originally designed for fire alarms. When that copper met nylon and body heat, it generated static electricity that interfered with nearby television and radio signals. The tale even prompted British Telecom’s chief engineer to demand that all female lab staff report the type of bra they were wearing.
14 The Eruption of Mount Edgecumbe
In 1974, residents of Sitka, Alaska, were startled when the dormant volcano Mount Edgecumbe suddenly belched thick black smoke. Crowds rushed to the streets, fearing an imminent eruption. The mystery was solved when a local mischief‑maker, Porky Bickar, admitted he had air‑lifted hundreds of old tires into the crater and set them alight, creating the illusion of volcanic activity. Legend says that after Mount St. Helens erupted six years later, a Sitka citizen wrote to Bickar, “This time you’ve gone too far!”
13 The Predictions of Isaac Bickerstaff
In February 1708, a previously unknown London astrologer called Isaac Bickerstaff published an almanac forecasting the death by fever of rival astrologer John Partridge on March 29. Partridge denied the prediction, but on March 30 Bickerstaff released a pamphlet declaring the prophecy fulfilled. The following day, a sexton startled Partridge awake, asking if any funeral orders were pending. As Partridge walked the streets, people stared as if he were a ghost, insisting he resembled someone already deceased. The ruse, later revealed to be the work of satirist Jonathan Swift under the pseudonym Bickerstaff, forced Partridge to abandon his almanac publications.
12 Kremvax
In 1984, during the early days of Usenet, a message circulated claiming that the Soviet Union was joining the network. Purportedly sent from Konstantin Chernenko (email: [email protected]), it explained the USSR wanted an “open discussion forum” with Americans and Europeans. The announcement sparked a flood of responses. Two weeks later, Piet Beertema of the Netherlands confessed the post was a prank, making it the first documented internet hoax. When Moscow finally linked to the internet six years later, it adopted the domain name “kremvax” in homage to the joke.
11 UFO Lands in London
On March 31, 1989, thousands of motorists on a highway outside London looked up to see a glowing saucer descending. Spectators pulled over to watch as the craft touched down in a field, prompting locals to dial the police, fearing an alien invasion. When officers arrived, a brave constable approached the saucer with his truncheon, only for a small silver‑suited figure to pop out, causing the officer to flee. The “UFO” turned out to be a hot‑air balloon crafted by Richard Branson of Virgin Records. Intended for an April 1 landing in Hyde Park, a sudden wind shift forced an early, unintended touchdown.
10 Planetary Alignment Decreases Gravity
In 1976, British astronomer Patrick Moore announced on BBC Radio 2 that at precisely 9:47 AM a rare celestial event would occur: Pluto would slip behind Jupiter, creating a temporary gravitational alignment that would lessen Earth’s pull. He urged listeners to jump at that exact moment, promising a sensation of floating. When the time arrived, BBC2 received hundreds of calls from people claiming they felt weightlessness, with one woman reporting that she and eleven friends rose from their chairs and floated around the room.
9 Hotheaded Naked Ice Borers
In April 1995, Discover Magazine featured a story by Dr. Aprile Pazzo announcing the discovery of a new Antarctic species: the hot‑headed naked ice borer. These creatures possessed bony plates on their heads fed by a dense network of blood vessels, allowing them to heat up and bore through ice at high speed. The hot heads melted ice beneath penguins, causing the birds to sink into slush where the borers would devour them. Pazzo hypothesized that the mysterious disappearance of explorer Philippe Poisson in 1837 might have been the work of these predators. The article generated more reader mail than any other Discover piece.
8 The Left‑Handed Whopper
In 1998, Burger King ran a full‑page USA Today ad announcing a “Left‑Handed Whopper” specially crafted for the 32 million left‑handed Americans. The sandwich supposedly contained the same ingredients as the classic Whopper, but all condiments were rotated 180 degrees for left‑handed diners. The next day, Burger King revealed the promotion was a prank, yet thousands of customers still visited restaurants requesting the nonexistent sandwich, while others humorously asked for a “right‑handed” version.
7 Alabama Changes the Value of Pi
The April 1998 issue of the New Mexicans for Science and Reason newsletter carried an article claiming the Alabama legislature had voted to alter the mathematical constant pi from 3.14159 to a “Biblical” value of 3.0. The story spread rapidly via email, prompting the Alabama legislature to receive countless calls from bewildered citizens protesting the supposed change. The piece, written by physicist Mark Boslough, was intended as a satire of attempts to legislate science education.
6 Nixon for President
In 1992, NPR’s Talk of the Nation announced that former President Richard Nixon was re‑entering the political arena with the slogan, “I didn’t do anything wrong, and I won’t do it again.” The broadcast featured audio clips of Nixon delivering a campaign speech. Listeners flooded the show with shocked calls, only to learn later that the announcement was a hoax, with comedian Rich Little providing the impersonated voice.
5 San Serriffe
In 1977, The Guardian published a seven‑page supplement celebrating the tenth anniversary of San Serriffe, a fictitious republic in the Indian Ocean composed of semi‑colon‑shaped islands. Articles described its geography and culture, naming its two main islands Upper Caisse and Lower Caisse, its capital Bodoni, and its leader General Pica. Readers called the paper all day for more information, unaware that every name referenced printer’s terminology. The hoax is credited with igniting a wave of April Fool’s pranks in British tabloids.
4 The Taco Liberty Bell
In 1996, Taco Bell announced it had purchased the Liberty Bell from the federal government and renamed it the “Taco Liberty Bell.” Outraged citizens flooded the National Historic Park in Philadelphia with angry calls. Hours later, Taco Bell revealed the stunt was a joke. The incident spawned a memorable quip from White House press secretary Mike McCurry, who joked that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold, now called the “Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.”
3 Instant Color TV
In 1962 Sweden broadcast only a single black‑and‑white channel. Technical expert Kjell Stensson appeared on the news claiming a new method allowed viewers to instantly convert their sets to color by draping a nylon stocking over the screen. He demonstrated the technique, and hundreds of thousands of Swedes were fooled. Actual color transmissions did not begin until April 1, 1970.
2 Sidd Finch
In the April 1985 edition of Sports Illustrated, a story introduced Sidd Finch, a rookie pitcher for the Mets who allegedly could hurl a baseball at 168 mph—65 mph faster than any recorded throw. Supposedly, Finch had never played organized baseball, having mastered the “art of the pitch” in a Tibetan monastery under the guidance of the poet‑saint Lama Milaraspa. Fans flooded the magazine with requests for more information, only to discover that Finch was a fictional creation of writer George Plimpton.
1 The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest
In 1957, the BBC’s Panorama program reported that a mild winter and the eradication of the dreaded spaghetti weevil had yielded a bumper spaghetti crop in Switzerland. The broadcast featured footage of peasants climbing trees to harvest strands of spaghetti. Viewers called in en masse, asking how they could grow their own spaghetti trees. The BBC’s tongue‑in‑cheek response was to advise them to “place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.”