11.8M views for a TikTok of "a mosquito ๐ฆ with a number on its back". ๐ฒ
Is Bill Gates involved? (Spoiler: no.) Investigate! ๐งต๐1/...
#OSINT๐
#Verification ๐ฅ
#HowToOSINT ๐ง
#BillGates #TikTok #FactCheck #Weird
Is Bill Gates involved? (Spoiler: no.) Investigate! ๐งต๐1/...
#OSINT๐
#Verification ๐ฅ
#HowToOSINT ๐ง
#BillGates #TikTok #FactCheck #Weird
The Russian caption (albeit with typo) on this viral video reads: 'Guys who know where the numbers on mosquitoes come from (?)'.
Good question! Let's start with some basic Google... 2/...
tiktok.com/@dyunh519yip1/โฆ
Good question! Let's start with some basic Google... 2/...
tiktok.com/@dyunh519yip1/โฆ
To find out the origin of the images, we google part of the Russian inscription.
So we come to an article on the Kazakh news site Ekspress.
That article features the same video and situates it in Kazakhstan. ๐ฐ๐ฟ3/...
So we come to an article on the Kazakh news site Ekspress.
That article features the same video and situates it in Kazakhstan. ๐ฐ๐ฟ3/...
The presence of chips in the mosquitoes is the explanation given by some for the numbers.
The Kazakh article quotes experts who argue 'it is impossible to put electronic chips in mosquitoes'.
No real explanation for the presence of numbers is given in the article... ๐ 4/...
The Kazakh article quotes experts who argue 'it is impossible to put electronic chips in mosquitoes'.
No real explanation for the presence of numbers is given in the article... ๐ 4/...
When we take a screenshot of the video and upload it on the Russian search engine Yandex, we end up with a similar picture on Wikipedia. ๐ค 5/...
Indeed, the bug in the video (left) closely resembles the picture on Wikipedia (right), which, according to the online encyclopaedia, would show a mosquito ๐ฆ from the mosquito genus Cricotopus.
The version on Wikipedia seems to be labelled "38" rather than "36". 6/...
The version on Wikipedia seems to be labelled "38" rather than "36". 6/...
We show the images to an insect expert. ๐จโ๐ซ
He notes that it is NOT a mosquito but an aphid. โโ ๏ธ
"There are hundreds of species of aphids. Few people specialise in recognising all those species. I cannot say for sure which specific species we are seeing here." 7/...
He notes that it is NOT a mosquito but an aphid. โโ ๏ธ
"There are hundreds of species of aphids. Few people specialise in recognising all those species. I cannot say for sure which specific species we are seeing here." 7/...
Also Kazakh fact checkers argue that it could be a species of aphid, specifically Euceraphis betulae: stopfake.kz/ru/archives/14โฆ
Photos of sightings of this type of aphid in Belgium and the Netherlands and UK indeed seem to match. 8/...
Photos of sightings of this type of aphid in Belgium and the Netherlands and UK indeed seem to match. 8/...
What about the black spots that look like 3โฃ6โฃ or 3โฃ8โฃ?
Expert 1: "I think the black spots are variable and may happen to resemble numbers. I wouldn't get too caught up in it."
Expert 2: "Natural black markings resembling numbers." 9/...
Expert 1: "I think the black spots are variable and may happen to resemble numbers. I wouldn't get too caught up in it."
Expert 2: "Natural black markings resembling numbers." 9/...
IF these were larger insects, it could well be that the numbers were applied by humans.
Usually, such a number is applied with a fine pen. ๐๏ธ
This technique ("Mark-Recapture") is used to map how far individuals of a certain species move: www2.nau.edu/lrm22/lessons/โฆ 10/...
Usually, such a number is applied with a fine pen. ๐๏ธ
This technique ("Mark-Recapture") is used to map how far individuals of a certain species move: www2.nau.edu/lrm22/lessons/โฆ 10/...
That ๐ only works for large insects like butterflies ๐ฆ or damselflies.
Expert: "I don't think anyone is capable of writing a number on such a tiny aphid." โ
So no human ๐จโ๐ฆฐ did this. 11/...
Expert: "I don't think anyone is capable of writing a number on such a tiny aphid." โ
So no human ๐จโ๐ฆฐ did this. 11/...
The fact that the random black dots on the backs of aphids look like numbers has to do with PAREIDOLIAโ๏ธ
That is the human tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern.
People sometimes see figures in the clouds. โ๏ธ๐ฅ๏ธโ๏ธ 12/...
That is the human tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern.
People sometimes see figures in the clouds. โ๏ธ๐ฅ๏ธโ๏ธ 12/...
Or another form of pareidolia is to see an image of Jesus on a burnt piece of toast. ๐13/...
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4034787.sโฆ
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4034787.sโฆ
Why are some people referring to Microsoft founder and philanthropist #BillGates when they see this video?
โก๏ธ There is indeed a link between Bill Gates and mosquitoes. His foundation is fighting malaria, a disease spread by ๐ฆ๐ฆ14/...
โก๏ธ There is indeed a link between Bill Gates and mosquitoes. His foundation is fighting malaria, a disease spread by ๐ฆ๐ฆ14/...
Gates is also investing in a mosquito farm in Colombia ๐จ๐ด.
These ๐ฆ๐ฆ carry the Wolbachia bacteria, which prevents them from carrying and transmitting tropical disease viruses to humans.
More info. ๐ (Spoiler: no chips are numbers involved...) 15/...
These ๐ฆ๐ฆ carry the Wolbachia bacteria, which prevents them from carrying and transmitting tropical disease viruses to humans.
More info. ๐ (Spoiler: no chips are numbers involved...) 15/...
CONCLUSION: There is a link between Bill Gates and mosquitoes,
BUT the viral video of aphids (NOT mosquitoes โ) with apparent numbers (NOT applied by humans โ) on their backs has nothing to do with it. 16/...
BUT the viral video of aphids (NOT mosquitoes โ) with apparent numbers (NOT applied by humans โ) on their backs has nothing to do with it. 16/...
What have we learned? ๐ฉโ๐ซ
1) A simple text search (even if you don't speak the language) can push forward your investigation. ๐ณ๐
2) Don't trust Wikipedia 100%. Human mistakes can be made.โ
3) Pareidolia is a good way to spice up your conspiracy theory... ๐คฆโโ๏ธ 17/...
1) A simple text search (even if you don't speak the language) can push forward your investigation. ๐ณ๐
2) Don't trust Wikipedia 100%. Human mistakes can be made.โ
3) Pareidolia is a good way to spice up your conspiracy theory... ๐คฆโโ๏ธ 17/...
You can read my full article with all sources used here (@Knack) for FREE. ๐18/19
Big thanks to experts @WVeraghtert and @IDeblauwe. ๐
knack.be/factcheck/factโฆ
Big thanks to experts @WVeraghtert and @IDeblauwe. ๐
knack.be/factcheck/factโฆ
@Knack @WVeraghtert @IDeblauwe Did you learn something from this #OSINT for #FactChecking?
Follow me (@brechtcastel) and check out my channel on #YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCMBPtโฆ ๐
Older ๐งต๐งตunderneath this tweet:
Follow me (@brechtcastel) and check out my channel on #YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCMBPtโฆ ๐
Older ๐งต๐งตunderneath this tweet:
https://twitter.com/brechtcastel/status/139068840541619814519/END
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