On Rumours: How Falsehoods Spread, Why We Believe Them, What Can Be Done

Rumours are as old as human history, but with the rise of the internet it's now possible to spread stories about anyone, anywhere, instantly. In the 2008 US election many Americans believed Barack Obama was a Muslim. The conspiracy theory book 9/11: The Big Lie has become a bestseller. Hearsay has fuelled economic boom and bust - so much so that in many places it's now a crime to circulate false rumours about banks. Why do ordinary people accept rumours, even untrue, bizarre or damaging one...