I asked ChatGPT about “we never went to the moon”

Here’s what it said

I’m publishing this chat to show you what GPT can do.

It gave me 438 words in about 40 seconds.

That’s a high school paper. Maybe a college paper.

In 40 seconds.

Forget whether you agree with the content of GPT’s “paper.” That’s NOT my point.

Until recently, had you ever run into a program that could turn out this much grammatically correct English so quickly, in answer to a question?

Here we go:

ME: There are people who claim we never went to the moon. Describe their arguments and appropriate rebuttals to each argument.

GPT:

Claims that the moon landing was faked have persisted since the Apollo missions in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Here are some common arguments made by moon landing deniers and rebuttals to each:

Argument: Lack of stars in photographs: Some claim that the absence of stars in the photographs taken on the moon's surface is evidence of a hoax because stars should be visible in the sky.

Rebuttal: The lack of stars in the photographs can be explained by the exposure settings on the cameras used during the missions. The lunar surface was highly illuminated by the sun, causing the cameras to use fast shutter speeds, which made faint stars invisible in the background. Additionally, the cameras’ exposure settings were optimized for capturing the bright lunar landscape, making the stars too dim to register on the film.

Argument: Inconsistent shadows: Critics argue that the shadows in photographs appear to be cast in different directions, suggesting multiple light sources and therefore a staged set.

Rebuttal: The apparent inconsistency in shadow angles can be explained by the uneven terrain and the sun’s position in the lunar sky. The moon’s surface is not flat, and natural topography can cause shadows to appear at different angles. Additionally, the lack of atmosphere on the moon means there is no scattering of light, resulting in harsh shadows with less diffusion.

Argument: Fluttering flag: Some skeptics point to the American flag planted on the moon, claiming that it appears to be fluttering in the wind, which would be impossible in the vacuum of space.

Rebuttal: The flag’s appearance of fluttering is due to its design and the way it was deployed by the astronauts. The flag was attached to a horizontal rod along the top edge, causing it to unfurl and appear to wave as it was being set up. However, since there is no atmosphere on the moon, the flag would not actually flutter or move once it was planted.

Argument: Radiation hazards: Critics argue that the Van Allen radiation belts surrounding the Earth would have posed lethal risks to astronauts, making a journey through them impossible.

Rebuttal: While the Van Allen belts do contain high levels of radiation, the Apollo missions were carefully planned to minimize exposure. The spacecraft traveled through the thinnest parts of the belts at high speed, reducing the time astronauts were exposed to radiation. Additionally, the spacecraft’s aluminum hull provided protection against the majority of radiation encountered.

Argument: Lack of blast crater: Some claim that the lunar module should have created a blast crater upon landing, similar to what would be expected from a rocket landing on Earth.

Rebuttal: The lack of a visible blast crater can be explained by the unique conditions of the moon’s surface. The lunar module’s descent engine was throttled back as it approached the surface, causing it to descend more gently and reducing the impact force. Additionally, the moon’s surface is covered in a layer of fine dust called regolith, which can absorb the energy of the landing without creating a visible crater.

Overall, the arguments against the moon landing are largely based on misunderstandings of science, misconceptions about photography, and a lack of knowledge about the technical details of the Apollo missions. Extensive evidence, including photographs, videos, and moon rock samples, supports the authenticity of the moon landings.

—end of “paper”—

Some people will assume GPT had a stored answer to the moon question ready to go. That’s not the case.

It found the info AND put it together AND printed it out on the page in 40 seconds.

Did you find any misspellings or grammatical mistakes? No?

OK. Now let me spring something very different on you.

Get a load of this: