Debunked: The Rossendale Fairies by John Hyatt [Midges]

Oh, man!!

This made it to the HuffPost? An 'April's Fool' joke?

No, and oh dear...a 'Professor' posted these? Ah, well....the HuffPost article includes comments that debunks already (?). Still, there exist some people who will grab at this, and run.

Maybe that is what 'Professor' John Hyatt intended? If so, shame on him.
 
It's quite surprising how many people believe that fairies exist. Although perhaps not that surprising if you consider how many people believe angels exist.

It's not clear if this is an April Fools joke, a batty professor, or just some kind of "get people thinking" art project - the Manchester Evening News story came out on April 2nd.
 
I just love that the very name is an homage to the well-known Cottingley Fairy hoax.

It's like calling your controversial archeological find "Piltdown II."



 
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It's quite surprising how many people believe that fairies exist. Although perhaps not that surprising if you consider how many people believe angels exist.

It's not clear if this is an April Fools joke, a batty professor, or just some kind of "get people thinking" art project - the Manchester Evening News story came out on April 2nd.
Well my 5 year old daughters believes in fairies, so they must exist.. I could swear I saw Tinker Bell in that photo
 
Well my 5 year old daughters believes in fairies, so they must exist.. I could swear I saw Tinker Bell in that photo
This video is about teaching kids to think critically. At 4:55 he talks about how he used fairies as an analogy with his daughter.
 
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This video is about teaching kids to think critically. At 4:55 he talks about how he used fairies as an analogy with his daughter.
re: fairy part. lol. and she learns at an early age how just to shut men up and tell them what they want to hear. :)
 
p.s just because her saying "but you can't prove fairies don't exist" concerns me. what does that sound like? anyone we know?

so don't tell your young girls fairies don't exist! some things you gotta let kids figure out on their own or they'll go the other way just to spite ya. ; )
 
p.s just because her saying "but you can't prove fairies don't exist" concerns me. what does that sound like? anyone we know?

so don't tell your young girls fairies don't exist! some things you gotta let kids figure out on their own or they'll go the other way just to spite ya. ; )
Not sure I understand you. He says she knows it is not possible to disprove fairies and that she knows they don't really exist, even though she wishes they did.
 
so don't tell your young girls fairies don't exist! some things you gotta let kids figure out on their own or they'll go the other way just to spite ya. ; )
That goes for Santa and the Tooth Fairy too! I wonder where the Tooth fairy came from and just how desperate that first mom or dad was to make something like that up to help their kids deal with losing their first tooth. But for it to stick all these years, its quite amazing
 
That goes for Santa and the Tooth Fairy too! I wonder where the Tooth fairy came from and just how desperate that first mom or dad was to make something like that up to help their kids deal with losing their first tooth. But for it to stick all these years, its quite amazing
Some parent made it up to not feel guilty about bribing the tooth out of their kid.
 
Does anyone know where all this fairy business comes from or when it started? Was it a big part of ancient society, or was it created in the minds of non fiction writers like in Peter Pan.
 
lightning bugs? midges?

VERY plausible.

But, doesn't explain mythologies surrounding Leprechauns, Chupacabra, etc. ( Talk about going off on tangents!! ;) )

I suggest the amazing Human imagination, and the history of lore, prior to the invention of writing (??)
 
VERY plausible.

But, doesn't explain mythologies surrounding Leprechauns, Chupacabra, etc. ( Talk about going off on tangents!! ;) )

I suggest the amazing Human imagination, and the history of lore, prior to the invention of writing (??)
most myth I think evolved to explain something. like Zeus and lightning, bad things happening (angry gods). Cattle mutilations/aliens. when weird things happen to me I call them minions (and now so do a lot of other people who have picked up my terminology) but fiaries works too as explanation. you know like I moved something but forgot I moved it so its in a different place then I thought etc.
 
Hmmmm, fairies are a stretch for me but angels seem more to my cultural upbringing. Seems if one is to believe in something unprovable, why not make them benevolent, beautiful and capable of almost anything.
 
Hmmmm, fairies are a stretch for me but angels seem more to my cultural upbringing. Seems if one is to believe in something unprovable, why not make them benevolent, beautiful and capable of almost anything.
cause mischievous is fun. ?
 
OK, some of our ancestors were superstitious, ignorant, knuckle-dragging troglodytes, but fortunately we live in an "enlightened" age where only the best and brightest preside in governments and provide guidance and....uh-oh....

...hmmmm.....maybe I spoke too soon.
 
Don't mean to get all boring, but I was amazed that Wikipedia even had a link for fairies; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy. And then I was even more amazed to learn that there was a Fairy Investigation Society. LOL To my amazement the wiki page about fairies is quite extensive and goes on for several pages. I had no idea how popular fairies are or that they persisted (in thought) throughout many cultures and religions..
 
Depends on who is getting messed with.

Hmmm......seems you might not be as "extinct" as would be indicated under your avatar.....(cue the pinky finger held to the mouth in an evil gesture!):



I will hold this post ransom for......"One HUNDRED dollars!"

Bwahahaha!!!
 
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