CERN ritual hoax
{{short description|Hoax in which an occult ritual is performed on the grounds of CERN}}
The CERN ritual hoax is a found footage video that depicts a faux occult ritual occurring in the grounds of CERN, the intergovernmental organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. The video became popular in August 2016 and shows several people dressed in black cloaks surrounding a statue of the Hindu deity Shiva and apparently performing a human sacrifice, in apparent mockery of existing conspiracy theories which suggest that CERN aims to use the Large Hadron Collider to create a portal to hell, summon the antichrist, or destroy the universe.{{cite web |last1=LaCapria |first1=Kim |title=Fact Check Fauxtography Was a Human Sacrifice Captured at CERN? |url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/human-sacrifice-captured-at-cern/ |website=Snopes.com |date=17 August 2016 |accessdate=31 July 2018}} The video ended with the person filming crying out and running away.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/aug/18/fake-human-sacrifice-filmed-at-cern-with-pranking-scientists-suspected|title=Fake human sacrifice filmed at Cern, with pranking scientists suspected|last=Staff and agencies in Geneva|date=2016-08-18|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-07-29}}
Reactions
A CERN spokesperson stated that the video was a prank and that no one was actually harmed.{{Cite news|url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a22429/cern-human-sacrifice-prank/|title=CERN Scientists Under Investigation After Fake Human Sacrifice|date=2016-08-18|work=Popular Mechanics|access-date=2018-07-29|language=en-US}} CERN stated in its FAQ that the video was "fiction" and the actions were outside its professional guidelines and without any official permission.{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cern-devil-worship-sacrifice-video_us_57b6856ce4b00d9c3a16cd67|title=Video Of 'Satanic Ritual' At World's Most Famous Physics Lab Is A Hoax|last=Mazza|first=Ed|date=2016-08-19|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2018-07-29|language=en-US}} CERN stated that it "doesn't tolerate this kind of spoof" and that it can "give rise to misunderstandings about the scientific nature of our work".{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/cern-human-sacrifice-video-watch-hadron-collider-god-particle-a7196881.html|title=Video shows 'human sacrifice' taking place at home of the God Particle|work=The Independent|access-date=2018-07-29|language=en-GB}}
References
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Category:Religious controversies in Switzerland
Category:Science and technology-related conspiracy theories
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