Quiz: Spot The Real Tech Headlines
Headlines from the world of science and technology -- drones, anyone? -- sometimes sound unbelievable. Take our quiz and try to spot the real headlines among the fakes.
![](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt69509c9116440be8/blt526fd5efc2493cb1/64cb57e66fc18295bc363430/RealorFakeMAIN.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
It's easy to suspend disbelief when you see tech industry headlines like this one: "Steve Ballmer Leaves Microsoft Board To Focus On Clippers, Teaching." Or, this one: "Is The Player Nervous? Just Ask His Shirt."
As science and technology advance at a breakneck pace, it's getting more difficult than ever to figure out what's real and what's merely a figment of someone's imagination. I, for one, have fallen victim to satire news stories that seemed completely believable, and have read real news while shaking my head and saying, "This can't be true."
With that in mind, we decided to test your ability to separate truth from fiction. The following slides are mostly an assortment of fake headlines. The first slide in each set will list four crazy-sounding heds. Only one of the four headlines is real: Look them over and decide which one is true. Advance to the next slide to see the answer. (No Googling or scrolling ahead, please. We're working on the honor system here.)
Once you've completed the quiz, share your results in the comments. Tell us which of the real headlines had you stumped -- and which of the fakes you'd love to see in real life.
Image: Wikimedia
A. Storage Chips in Tarantulas: Ultimate Data Security
B. Remote-Controlled Moths Are Coming ... To The Rescue?
C. When Good Robots Go Bad
D. 12 Uses for Duct Tape in Your Data Center
B. Remote-Controlled Moths Are Coming ... To The Rescue?
Scientists from North Carolina State University have recently found a way to control the movement of moths, according to The Atlantic. Scientists say the critters might someday be used in search-and-rescue missions, among other uses. See how the cyborg moths are created.
A. Prominent Divorce Lawyer Hit By Major Data Breach
B. N.H. Cyber Stalker Sentenced To 8 Years in Prison
C. Decommissioned Drones Spark Privacy Fears
D. Robots Could Murder Us Out of Kindness
D. Robots Could Murder Us Out of Kindness
At a conference in Malmo, Sweden, engineer and futurist Nell Watson (no relation to the IBM supercomputer) expressed concern that robots lacking built-in value systems could become our worst enemies. According to CNET, Watson stated: "The most important work of our lifetime is to ensure that machines are capable of understanding human value. It is those values that will ensure machines don't end up killing us out of kindness." Read more about Watson's presentation.
A. Can This Weird Ear-Tickling Gadget Improve Heart Health?
B. NSA Uses Bees as Listening Devices
C. Improve Your Eyesight With This Smartphone App
D. Psychologists Find Facebook Is Effective Group Therapy Tool
A. Can This Weird Ear-Tickling Gadget Improve Heart Health?
Health researchers have found that a device called a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) machine -- typically used to relieve labor pains during childbirth -- could also have a positive effect on heart health. It works in two ways: by increasing the variability in a person's heart rate (which is actually a good thing), and by suppressing heart activity triggered by adrenaline. Read more about this study.
A. Controversial Underwear Ad Features Real Female Tech Execs
B. Dos Equis Taps Larry Ellison As Next "Most Interesting Man in the World"
C. 2 Top Silicon Valley Coders to Star on "Naked & Afraid"
D. Marc Benioff Gets Cameo Role in "Gotham" Season Premiere
A. Controversial Underwear Ad Features Real Female Tech Execs
Underwear maker Dear Kate wanted to use real female techies to promote its Ada collection, named after the first female computer programmer Ada Lovelace, according to a report in Time. Dear Kate founder and CEO Julie Sygiel told Time she asked the women "to code in their underwear in a real workplace." The resulting ads, which are decidedly safe for work, can be found here.
A. How Wearable Tech Will Transform Your Business Suit
B. IoT: Vibrating Socks Alert You That The Coffee Maker's Still On
C. Nickel Allergies On The Rise As Devices Meet Skin
D. All Of The Above
C. Nickel Allergies on the Rise As Devices Meet Skin
Some US doctors say the growing use of mobile and wearable devices, combined with a lack of regulatory oversight of the metals and plastics used in such products, could lead to a spike in allergic reactions, according to the New York Times. Worried about which products might cause you to reach for the Epipen? The Consumer Product Safety Commission has a handy online database.
How did you fare in distinguishing the real tech and science headlines from the fakes? Which of the real stories did you like the best? Are you wishing that some of the fake ones were actually real? Tell us in the comments section below.
How did you fare in distinguishing the real tech and science headlines from the fakes? Which of the real stories did you like the best? Are you wishing that some of the fake ones were actually real? Tell us in the comments section below.
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