Fact-checkers documented ominous claims about preparations for the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse, including assertions that NASA planned to cause “mass psychosis” and that CERN would activate its particle accelerator for the event. PolitiFact rated both claims false. The available reporting establishes that these claims circulated online; it does not establish how many people believed them or whether belief rose compared with earlier eclipses.
What was NASA actually doing during the eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. On April 8, 2024, the Moon blocked the Sun for a few minutes along the path of totality, creating a rare opportunity to observe the Sun and study interactions among the Sun, Earth and the space between them. NASA described the event and its scientific opportunities in its Eclipse 2024 Science overview.
NASA also launched three sounding rockets during the eclipse to investigate how the sudden reduction in sunlight affected the upper atmosphere. A later NASA report said student teams confirmed eclipse-generated atmospheric gravity waves; that scientific result is distinct from the online claims about the rockets.
What claims were fact-checkers addressing?
The NASA “mass psychosis” claim
Posts described NASA’s sounding-rocket work as a ritual or a plot to cause “mass psychosis.” PolitiFact rated the claim false, explaining that the rockets were for upper-atmosphere research, not the alleged purpose. Its fact check was published April 2, 2024: “No, NASA doesn’t have a mission to cause ‘mass psychosis’ during the April 8 solar eclipse.”
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The CERN claim
Another claim connected the eclipse to CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. PolitiFact rated false the assertion that CERN was activating the collider in connection with the April 8 eclipse. The fact check, published April 5, 2024, is “Is CERN activating the world’s most powerful particle accelerator for the April 8 eclipse? No.”
Ominous claims about eclipse preparations
In March 2024, FactCheck.org documented social-media posts making unsupported, ominous claims about preparations for the eclipse. Its report provides examples of the rhetoric, not a count of how many people encountered or accepted it: “Posts Make Ominous, Unfounded Claims About April 8 Eclipse Preparations.”
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What these reports do—and do not—show
The fact checks establish that specific conspiracy claims appeared online before the eclipse and that the claims about NASA’s rockets and CERN were investigated and rated false. They do not measure the claims’ reach, the number of believers, or changes in belief over time. Nor do they establish why particular people adopted the claims. The phrase “eclipse madness” is a headline frame, not a diagnosis or a measured social trend.
Not every religious interpretation, cultural tradition or superstition about eclipses is a conspiracy theory. NASA’s Eclipse Misconceptions page notes that misconceptions have persisted even as scientific explanations have improved. The American Astronomical Society’s 2024 educational article explores how people’s mental models of eclipses can evolve; it is not a representative poll of public opinion.
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- Meets Industry Standards - Our CE and ISO certified safe shades for direct sun viewing are made while adhering to stringent safety and quality regulations set by the American Astronomical Society.
- A Comfy Fit - These certified sunglasses for eclipse are suitable for teens and adults. Featuring crease lines on both sides, these optical quality safe shades may be worn over prescription glasses.
- Filters Out Harmful Light - View eclipses safely with our paper glasses. Our solar viewers use solar safe filter technology, which helps shield your eyes from IR, UV, and 99.9999% of visible light.
- Excellent Value - Each pack contains 10 non-polarized solar eclipse glasses for viewing the sun. Share them with friends and loved ones so you can all enjoy viewing solar eclipses in complete safety.
How to view an eclipse safely
There is a practical risk amid the dramatic claims: looking directly at the Sun can cause permanent eye damage. Ordinary sunglasses are not protective enough; use proper solar viewers when looking at the Sun, except during the brief period of totality when the Sun is completely covered for observers within the path of totality. The Associated Press outlined this guidance in March 2024, and NASA’s Total Solar Eclipse Safety page says it does not endorse a particular brand of solar viewer.
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