April Fools' Day – How it started and famous pranks played on this day
Origin of April Fools' Day:
Historians trace April Fools’ Day to 1582, when France switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.
Those who forgot the New Year moved to January 1st were mocked as “April fools” and sent on phony errands.
Chaucer’s Connection:
The first possible literary reference to April Fools’ Day is in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (1392), where a vain rooster is tricked on “March 32nd” (April 1st).
Spaghetti Tree Hoax:
In 1957, the BBC aired a documentary claiming Swiss farmers grew spaghetti on trees.
Many viewers believed it, asking how to grow their own!
Sweden’s Fake TV Tech:
In 1962, Sweden’s only TV channel claimed viewers could convert their sets to color by putting nylon stockings over the screen.
Many tried it!
Sweden’s Fake TV Tech:
In 1962, Sweden’s only TV channel claimed viewers could convert their sets to color by putting nylon stockings over the screen.
Many tried it!
Smell-O-Vision:
In 1965 A UK tech show claimed the BBC was testing “Smell-O-Vision,” broadcasting scents via radio.
People taped onions and coffee to their TVs to “catch the smells.”
Fake Fastball:
In 1985, Sports Illustrated published a story about a rookie pitcher, Sidd Finch, who could throw a 168 mph fastball.
Readers fell for the fictional tale.
The Liberty Bell Prank:
In 1996, Taco Bell claimed it bought the Liberty Bell and renamed it the “Taco Liberty Bell.”
Outraged calls flooded the National Historic Park until the joke was revealed..
Burger King’s Left-Handed Whopper:
In 1998 this fast-food chain announced a “Left-Handed Whopper” designed for southpaws, with ingredients rotated 180 degrees.
Customers flocked to order it, even though it was identical to the original.
Google’s Pranks:
Google is notorious for April Fools’ jokes.
In 2002, they launched “Google Nose,” a fake feature claiming to let users “smell” search results.
Interestingly when Gmail was rolled out in 2004 with 1 GB storage, lot of people thought that to be a prank too !!
BBC’s Flying Penguins:
BBC aired a documentary in 2008 claiming Antarctic penguins could fly to the Amazon, using CGI footage.
Viewers were awestruck… until the credits read, “Happy April Fools’ Day!”
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