Top 10 Moon Conspiracy Theories

We’ll start with what would appear to be a big one; that the entire thing just isn’t real. For those claiming this there are a few supposed explanations, one of which we’ll look deeper into in a later entry. But, for now, it’s flat Earth. As one of the most bizarre and controversial conspiracy theories going, there aren’t many aspects of the natural world that flat Earth hasn’t sought to rewrite in one way or another. And, with the moon, according to some interpretations, it’s little more than a large, probably artificial light that’s installed onto the ceiling of a grand dome. The dome then covers the whole of flat Earth, with no further satellites or orbiting worlds required.

In 1969, in the time between the Eagle module landing on the moon and the astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin exiting it for the first ever moonwalk, Aldrin took Holy Communion, complete with bread and wine that he had brought from Earth. However, due to rising public debate at the time (and some high profile lawsuits regarding the separation of church and state) NASA declined to broadcast the specifics to the world, and the event was mostly hushed up. The general murkiness of what happened has before led some to wonder about some kind of higher purpose for the moon. Add into the equation that Aldrin is also a Freemason, and that he reportedly established Tranquility Lodge no. 2000 on the moon, while he was there… and the questions increase.

There’s a couple of ways to look at this one. First, there’s the question of why don’t we just send our nuclear waste to the moon, to get it out of sight and out of mind? The main reason is cost. But, for some, it’s still seemingly too brilliant of an idea for it not to already be happening, with the moon’s fabled dark side being the primary spot for a proposed nuclear dumping ground… if there is one. Second, though, there's the issue of the moon’s origin to consider. The Giant Impact Hypothesis is the leading theory today, arguing that the moon formed when the ancient Earth crashed into another, early planetoid, which then splintered (and ultimately settled) to become the moon. However, one alt-theory is that, actually, the moon formed following an early (and massive) nuclear explosion. While it’s not widely accepted, advocates claim that the young Earth experienced a huge nuclear reaction, rippling through its core and mantle, until what’s now the moon was effectively ejected out into space.

Next, and this is the more specific “it doesn’t exist” claim mentioned at the beginning of this list. In general, the idea is that the moon is nothing more than an elaborate hologram, a projection, beamed into place for unknown reasons. The most often-cited evidence for this is the lunar wave, an apparent phenomenon caught on camera by multiple people and widely distributed across the internet and social media. Clips show what appears to be a ripple (or wave) that spreads across the moon as you look at it. There have been various counter claims put forward to insist that any seeming wave can be explained by science and nature - or just faulty technology. But, for conspiracy theorists, this is some cold, hard proof that the moon is glitching or reloading because it’s a wholly digital construct.

Mainstream science says that while alien life is statistically likely… we still haven’t discovered it. It’s what’s known as the Fermi Paradox. With the moon, though, there are countless claims that actually we have discovered it. Theorists say that alien civilizations have long established bases and structures on the moon, and again particularly on the unseen dark side. Such ideas often rely on alleged photographic evidence showing what appear to be buildings, machines or general anomalies on the lunar surface. There’s also the irresistible element that, if an alien force were watching us, then from the moon would be the ideal position for them. This part ties in with what’s known as the Zoo Hypothesis, a proposed cosmic model in which aliens watch over humans like humans do with animals at the zoo.

At the end of World War Two there began one of the most uncomfortable and complex episodes in modern American history; Operation Paperclip. This was the infamous recruiting by the US of former Nazi scientists, in a bid to better science and technological research in the emerging space race against the USSR. History shows how America ultimately won the race, largely as a result. However, with all of that as a backdrop, conspiracies have long been whispered that America performed so well with German help because the Nazis had already been to the moon. Versions of the theory differ, but it’s claimed that Hitler’s army made it to the lunar surface sometime during the early 1940s. Importantly, there is no evidence for this. But the claims exist, all the same.

Look up to the sky at night, particularly on a full moon, and you may well marvel at the sheer size of our glowing satellite. It’s a pretty substantial mass. And yet, one of the most infamous conspiracy theories about the moon says that, actually, it’s not quite so solid as it may appear. In general, there are two avenues down which theorists tread. One is that despite its apparent sturdiness, the moon is actually a structurally weakened world, littered with holes and tunnels to the point that, on its inside, it’s basically empty. The other, though, is that the moon is actually fully hollow because it’s an entirely artificial structure. Here, again, supporters argue that the hollowed out interior is made that way specifically to house alien beings, keeping them from the view of Earth. Scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports the idea of a solid lunar core, however.

An extension of Hollow Moon, this theory says that not only are there vast open spaces inside the moon, and not only are those spaces occupied by extraterrestrial creatures… but the moon is also not a moon at all. It’s a spaceship. An ancient alien craft positioned in Earth's orbit for undisclosed reasons, that could presumably jet off at any time - if it wanted to. Of course, with such an out there take on our closest celestial neighbor, there have been various ideas put forward as to why an alien vehicle might have docked right next to us. For example, some have applied the Lab Hypothesis - a close relation to the Zoo Hypothesis - which suggests that any watching alien race might also be experimenting on humankind and life on Earth, in general… with (or without) any regard for our wellbeing.

Over and above every other conspiracy theory involving the moon, there’s this. First we’ll look at the how, and then we’ll look at the why. Broadly, the claim is that NASA faked the 1969 moon landing (and likely all subsequent moon landings thereafter) simply to ensure that they “beat” the Soviet Union, in the eyes of the watching world. The director Stanley Kubrick is famously said to have been commissioned by NASA to produce the fake footage, in a hurriedly constructed TV studio. It has also been claimed that Arthur C. Clarke wrote the script, and that Walt Disney provided the funding - although Disney died two-and-a-half years before the Landings were made.

According to the theory, why did they do it? There have been multiple suggestions tabled in the years since. For one, and again, to gain victory over the USSR, and to assert America as the dominant nation of the time. It’s also been said that it was all hoaxed as part of a massive, nationwide psychological drive, however, to get the American public onside with increased military spending, which may have seemed closely aligned. Given that much of the original footage from the 1969 landings has also since been mistakenly erased by NASA, this is a theory that has just refused to go away. Over the years, almost every aspect of it has been debunked - from the movement of the flags to the shadows on the ground - but for conspiracy theorists, there’s just no denying that it never actually happened.

Which of these theories are you most intrigued by? Which do you find most convincing, or most laughable? Let us know in the comments!