Animal Edition

Real or Not?

Real or Not: Animal Edition © 2023 by Science and Social Media is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Notes for teachers:

• This modifiable set of slides is intended for use with students in elementary school (K-3)
• As you move through the slides with students, you will have them guess whether the animals are real or not real, but most importantly ask them to think about why they think so, what evidence they have for their decision, and how they might learn more if they aren’t sure.
• Some key discussion points:
• We can’t always tell if images are real or not real; technology is so good now that people can make images (and even videos) look real when they’re not (using software, apps, Artificial Intelligence (AI), etc). (Deepfakes can be introduced at the end of the presentation, if appropriate)
• *sometimes* we can spot things in the images that look fake, but not always - for example, patterns that don’t match up, differences in lighting, or something really doesn’t make sense
• We need to be skeptical about the things we see and often we need to look other places / find out more information to know if the images we see are real or not. This is true of videos too!
• If you’re not sure about something, it’s a good idea to find a *trustworthy source* of information. Where might a trustworthy source of information on animals be?
• National geographic (or NG kids site)- they have scientists and experts that make content for their website / books
• Zoo websites - (eg. Smithsonian; Calgary Zoo) their job is education around animals, again they have experts that help create their content
• Library books - (ask a librarian to help you find non-fiction books about animals)
• Zoologist, Veterinarian - they have specialized knowledge about some kinds of animals

​

Real or Not: Animal Edition © 2023 by Science and Social Media is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Before we start:

Are there ways to “spot” fakes?

Is every video / image we see real?

What are some ways people change images or videos?

No!

Using computer software, apps, AI etc.

*sometimes*but fakes keep getting better!

Let’s Practice

Nikhilmore nimo, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fan_throated_lizard_pair.jpg

Real animals (Fan throated lizards) but this is not a real photo. It’s been photoshopped so that they appear to be holding the umbrella.

Shorse

Shorse.

Photomanipulation made by gyyporama in 2013. https://www.instagram.com/p/BcezmVeHvZE/

Photography credit: Anett Somogyvári, Eric Hanauer

Fake - photoshopped horse and shark by gyyporama.

If I wasn’t sure, where could I learn more?

• National geographic (or NG kids site)- they have scientists and experts that make content for their website / books

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• Zoo websites - (eg. Smithsonian; Calgary Zoo)

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• Library books - (ask a librarian to help you find non-fiction books about animals)

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• Zoologist - a scientist that studies animals

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• Veterinarian - they have specialized knowledge about some kinds of animals

​

(What sources of information about animals would be trustworthy?)

Zebraffe - real or not?

English: Prompt: A new hybrid species "Zebra-Giraffe" spotted in African Safari during golden hour

Date 4 August 2022

Source & Author: OPENAI DALL-E2

WikimediaCommons

Fake - this image was created using artificial intelligence (AI).

​

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Did you know? There is an animal called an okapi that people sometimes “say” is a zebra - giraffe hybrid, though this isn’t true. (Okapi are related to giraffes, but not zebras).

Water bear - real or not?

Description

Deutsch: Das Originalbild dieses Bärtierchens war Teil der Ausstellung im Linzer Ars Electronica Center. Die Aufnahme wurde mit einem Rasterelektronenmikroskop angefertigt (400:1 bei 12 x 12 cm Bildgröße)Date 29 September 2023 Source

Own workAuthorLlydia

Real - a tartigrade or ‘water bear’ is a real microscopic organism!

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They can withstand extreme cold and heat, high pressure, and even the vacuum of space!

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Video: Meet the Tardigrade - Ted Ed

Jackalope - real or not?

Unlucky Jackalope by CGPGrey: http://www.cgpgrey.com, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Fake - The jackalope is depicted as a rabbit or a hare with antlers - this myth may have emerged from taxidermists mounting small horns from antelopes and other local creatures on cottontail or jack rabbits and selling the items and photos to tourists as “jackalopes”.

Added by BattleTank1025 Posted in Jackalope

https://allspecies.fandom.com/wiki/Jackalope?file=Jackalope_charles.jpg

Blobfish - real or not?

Real - Blobfish are fish with floppy, squishy bodies that are adapted to live deep down in the ocean near Australia and New Zealand. When blobfish come to the surface, they are under 100 times less pressure, and so collapse into a big jelly-like blob.

​

https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/the-blobfish-a-bloated-guide-to-the-worlds-ugliest-animal

Blobfish by Shahradraki via Wikimedia Commons.

​

Red-lipped Bat fish

- real or not?

Real - The red-lipped batfish is a very odd looking fish with “wings” (adapted fins) and appears to wear lipstick. The red-lipped batfish is a bottom dwelling fish that walks along the bottom of the ocean around the Galapagos Islands.

Red-lipped Batfish (Ogcocephalus darwini), photo from the Galapagos.Date18 October 2010, 10:47:12

SourceFlickr: DSCN1938.jpgAuthor

Rein Ketelaars

​

Arachnorilla - real or not?

Fake - this is a combination of a spider and gorilla, made through photo editing.

Arachnorilla.Photomanipulation made by gyyporama. Based on photographs by ondrejprosicky, constantincornel.

Named by @grayghostlife .

​

What about a Pugilla?

Fake - a pug / gorilla hybrid image, photoshopped together.

Pugilla.Photomanipulation made by gyyporama. https://www.instagram.com/p/BpM5EygnnCW/

Axolotl - real or not?

Real - Axilotl are an endangered type of marine salamander found in lakes around Mexico.

​

Axilotl are closely related to tiger salamanders and reproduce by laying eggs. They are often reproduced in captivity and kept as pets.

​

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/axolotl

Axolotl ambystoma mexicanum anfibio ASAG.jpg Date14 November 2014 2010, Author Amandasofiarana via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Axolotl_ambystoma_mexicanum_anfibio_ASAG.jpg

​

Wrapping up:

Fake images are tricky and sometimes impossible to spot! (And it will be even harder as technology improves).

These examples are (relatively) harmless, but there could be times where fake images could do a lot of damage / harm.

For example,“Deep-fakes” are videos where the face / body of a person has been altered so that they look like someone else.

Teacher Resources (use as appropriate for your class)

• Video about AI and deepfakes (7:40 Video)
• Fake Obama created using AI video tool (1:26 Video)
• Fake interview between Justin Trudeau and Joe Rogan https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/viral-video-of-joe-rogan-interviewing-justin-trudeau-was-generated-by-ai-and-highlights-danger/article_6bb1edd8-4305-59ca-a420-bb90fbbabc22.html
• Deep Fake Neighbour Wars - TV show where all actors are faked https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jan/09/deep-fake-neighbour-wars-interview-itvx-comedy

Deep fake examples:

-impersonating politicians (fake interviews, fake statements)

-impersonating celebrities

-scams (AI Extortion Scams)

Real or Not: Animal Edition © 2023 by Science and Social Media is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

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