Humans Landed On Moon In 1969, Why Conspiracy Theories Still Doubt It

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," said astronaut Neil Armstrong after stepping on the Moon on July 20, 1969. It's been over five decades, but conspiracy theorists still doubt it. On Sunday (July 20), NASA shared a post on Instagram to mark 56 years since the Apollo 11 mission successfully landed on the lunar surface, which was a historic achievement in space exploration. The space agency wrote: "We're going back."

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All About The Apollo 11 Mission

The primary goals of the mission were to land on the Moon, conduct scientific experiments and return safely to Earth. The Moon landing paved the way for future space exploration and inspired generations of scientists, engineers and astronauts.

"56 years ago, NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the Moon, becoming the first humans to walk on the lunar surface," NASA said in the Instagram post.

"Now, we're working with international and commercial partners to return to the Moon and establish the first long-term presence there, which is a critical step toward our first crewed missions to Mars."

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What Do Conspiracy Theories Say About The Moon Landing?

The Moon landing conspiracy theory, mostly circulated on social media, suggests that the United States government faked or staged the Apollo Moon landings. Some even claimed that the landings were filmed in a studio or that the astronauts did not actually walk on the Moon's surface.

Users on social media also claimed that the American flag planted on the Moon appears to be waving in the wind, even though there is no atmosphere on the Moon.

Photos taken by the astronauts on the Moon's surface do not show any stars in the background, which some believe is evidence that the photos were taken in a studio.

There are also claims that the astronauts would have been exposed to lethal radiation during their trip to the Moon, making it impossible for them to survive.

The theories argue why it is taking so many years to go back to the Moon with far better technology as compared to the 1960s. 

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Scientific Proof To Debunk The Viral Theories

Experts have provided evidence and scientific explanations to debunk these claims. Scientists have noted that the flag's motion is caused by the motion from the astronauts as they planted it in the ground, not wind.

They also revealed that cameras used by the astronauts were set to capture images of the bright lunar surface, and the stars were not visible due to overexposure.

In regard to radiation claims, the experts said that the astronauts wore protective suits and the spacecraft had shielding to minimise exposure.

The Apollo astronauts also brought back more than 800 pounds of Moon rocks and soil, which have been extensively studied by scientists and confirmed to have originated from the Moon.