Actual Black-and-White Pic of 'Final Big Silicon Tree' in 1899?

In late September and early October 2024, a black-and-white {photograph} circulated on social media purportedly showing the “final big silicon tree” in 1899.

The picture’s caption referenced a theory that sure geological formations are the stays of historical big “silicon timber,” although there may be no evidence backing this declare.

The image appeared on quite a few different social media platforms, together with Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok and iFunny.

One Instagram person asked: “Would there be floods if there have been extra timber this massive?” whereas a Fb person expressed skepticism: “No approach a tree that dimension was reduce so completely and easily with the instruments of that period!!” 

In brief, as a result of the picture in query was created utilizing synthetic intelligence software program, we now have rated this picture as a faux. The accounts sharing the image additionally offered no particulars concerning the location of the timber, nor any sources to again up their claims.

The picture was initially shared (archived) by a TikTok account known as The AI Experiment. It appeared in a video compilation that includes a number of comparable animated pictures. The publish included hashtags akin to “#ai” and “#aiart.”

The TikTok publish included a badge saying the media within the video was AI-generated. Likewise, within the feedback, the creator acknowledged it was certainly created utilizing AI software program.

(TikTok person @the_ai_experiment)

The AI Experiment account confirmed by way of e-mail the picture featured within the Might 2024 video was certainly their creation and was made utilizing generative AI packages MidJourney and Pika Labs.

In the meantime, a Google search for “the final big silicon tree 1899” produced no proof of the tree current, except for outcomes displaying the picture in query.

A number of visible clues additionally pointed to digital manipulation, such because the distorted figures and the unnaturally formed tree within the background (see picture beneath).

(Fb person Historic Heirlooms)

For additional studying, in July 2017 we investigated whether or not {a photograph} confirmed the stays of an historical tree trunk measuring greater than two miles huge.

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