A light flickers across the skies of southern France as aliens make contact with Earth for the first time. As the UFO makes its final descent, the sound of buzzing fills the air.

It sounds unbelievable. It should do, say the experts. The story, reported across France, is simply not true.

Fake news is hardly a new phenomenon. As long ago as 2,000 years, Roman leaders spread false claims about their rivals through poetry and even coinsOctavian printed slogans on coins suggesting his predecessor Mark Antony was a faithless drunk. .

Academics warn the problem is worse than ever. On Twitter, false stories travel faster than real news. Last year, fake news spread as first politics and then the pandemic divided society. This year, the trend has continued.

Here are seven false news stories that have dominated the headlines in 2021: 

FBI behind riot. In January, the world was shocked by chaos at the US Capitol as protestors stormed the building in a bid to overturn the election. A conservative news website claimed it was the FBIThe Federal Bureau of Investigation, which investigates crimes on a national level in the USA. who planned the riot. The claims were backed by Republican politicians. 

UFOs in France. A YouTuber admitted to faking UFOAn unidentified flying object is any aerial phenomenon that cannot be identified or explained. sightings in southern France, but not before several television channels reported on the strange events. Remi Gaillard used a drone to fool the media. 

Vaccine causes AIDS. People in the UK who received the Covid-19 vaccine are developing AIDSAcute Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It interferes with the immune system, leaving sufferers more vulnerable to common diseases. Around the world, almost 40 million people are believed to be living with the disease. faster than expected, declared Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro in a live broadcast. Facebook and Instagram removed the video. Bolsanaro has previously told his 19 million followers that the Pfizer vaccine could make women grow beards. Meanwhile, hundreds in the US poisoned themselves with the anti-parasite drug ivermectinMore than a third of 26 major trials of ivermectin for use on Covid-19 contained serious errors or signs of fraud. None of the rest showed convincing evidence the drug is effective.  following false claims it could cure the virus. 

Drugs deepfake. A 51-second clip apparently showing New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern smoking cannabis fooled thousands on Facebook this month. The video was actually a deepfakeDeepfake videos and photos are made using Artificial Intelligence. , made by superimposing Ardern's face on another woman's body. 

Private jets at Cop26. Attendees of the climate conference were accused of hypocrisy after a photo of 400 private jets went viral online. But the photographer confirmed he took the image at the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans, not at Cop26Cop stands for  Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow. 

Sheet music out. Oxford University was forced to deny it is planning to "decolonise" the music curriculum by removing sheet music. Officials say they are expanding the program to include non-Western music, not removing Western music altogether. 

Secret blame game. In July, a Swiss scientist named Wilson Edwards made a shocking Facebook post. The US government was trying to intimidate the World Health Organisation into blaming China for the Covid-19 pandemic. China's state media quickly made dozens of articles repeating the claim. But the reports began disappearing after the Swiss government confirmed that no scientist called Wilson Edwards exists. 

Yes, say some. There are few who can say with confidence they have never shared fake news. The statistics are appalling: 56% of Facebook users cannot recognise false claims that align with their beliefs. Critical thinking is a vital skill - one that everyone must learn if we are to solve this crisis. 

It is too late for media literacy, say others. Fake news is becoming more sophisticated. No matter how careful you are, it is nearly impossible to tell the difference between reality and a convincing deepfake. Regulating the news industry and social media is the only way to stop the spread.