Forwarded emails, text messages, and Facebook postings claim the appearance of a 'dark circle' around the moon means acid rain will fall between the 20th and 28th of the month and may cause skin cancer in those exposed to it.
Description: Forwarded email / Text message rumor
Circulating since: March 2010
Status: False
Email example contributed by Laura S., April 15, 2010:
Fwd: Acid rain alert Be careful from the 20th to 28th of this month, There is possibility of an ACID RAIN. The dark circle appeared around the moon on 17th of last month and this is an indication of Acid Rain. Apparently this happens once in 750 years.
It rains like normally but It may cause skin cancer if you expose yourself to it. So ALERT your dear ones. This information is from NASA.
DO NOT neglect. Plz Forward this to your friends, Better to be cautious than sorry.
As posted on Facebook, April 26, 2010:
ACID RAIN IN DUBAI!!!!! Be careful... there is a possibility of an ACID RAIN in dubai from 25th to 28th of this month.. it'll be a normal rain but it may cause skin cancer if you expose yourself to it.. so alert your dear once.. this information is from NASA... Be aware pls... thank you.. pls post this to your profile.. thanks..
Analysis: Variants of this rumor erroneously predicting that acid rain will fall between the 20th and 28th of the current month because a "dark circle" was spotted around the moon first began circulating in March 2010 in Nigeria, where according to regional news reports it sparked a public panic.
The identical rumor returned a month later, in April, for a second round, this time wending its way into other parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Though it's claimed that the prediction of acid rain came from the U.S. space agency NASA, in fact the origination of the rumor is unknown. A NASA spokesperson has been quoted in news coverage stating that there is no known connection between the common atmospheric phenomenon of a ring around the moon and acid rain.
There is also no known causal connection between acid rain and skin cancer.
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Sources and further reading:
Acid Rain Rumor Refuted
Pakistan Observer, 16 April 2010Meteorologist Says Acid Rain Email and SMS Is a Scam
Gulf News, 21 April 2010Don't Go By Acid Rain Alerts: Met Office
Daily Times (Pakistan), 14 April 2010Nigerian Expert, NASA Meteorologist Allay Fears Over Acid Rain
Business Day (Nigeria), 24 March 2010Nigeria: Unusual Weather Condition
AllAfrica.com (Editorial), 29 March 2010Causes and Effects of Acid Rain
About.com: Geography
Last updated 04/26/10
