18351776 Club
The Sun reveals life on the Moon: bison, unicorns, and bat-winged men living on the Moon
A penny newspaper credits the discovery to a real astronomer who has never heard of it.
New York's penny papers depended on circulation, and few things sold papers like a good sensation. On August 25, 1835, The Sun began a six-part series claiming Sir John Herschel's telescope in South Africa had found lunar bison, unicorns, tailless beavers, and bat-faced humanoids building temples. The paper credited Herschel by name, borrowing his reputation to sell the story. Readers across the city believed it, and though popular accounts of a circulation surge may be exaggerated, the hoax made The Sun the most talked-about paper in New York…
