6 Welcome to REAL OR FAKE the book where you get to TEST YOUR INNER LIE DETECTOR Before you dive in let's go over the basics of sorting a fact from a fib How do you identify a lie Sometimes it's hard to put your finger on a fake but here are a few clues to help you along the way IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS Be on the lookout for details in a story that are inconsistent inconsistent or just seem impossible Also people have a tendency tendency to over-explain when they're feeling guilty about something likewise some details in these stories just aren't necessary Sometimes that can be a key identifier in figuring out where the is truth stretched
7 USE YOUR NOGGIN If things in the story don't exactly line up with things you know to be true go with what you know Experience is one of the best teachers in life so use yours when trying to determine what is real and what is fake GO WITH YOUR GUT If things seem too unbelievable to be true oftentimes they are Trust your instincts when things seem off a good rule for this book and in life HONEST ABE WHAT'S A FIB O METER A fib o meter is a handy little gauge we've invented for determining the level of a lie or truth The categories are Honest Abe Little White Lie and Big Ol Whopper We've gone through and determined which story falls where based on whether it's true or how big a lie it is If the story is true it falls in Honest Abe territory If the details of the story are untrue and the lie is minor we've gone with Little White Lie If it was a big lie that maybe led to something else widespread panic or disbelief maybe we've gone with Big Or Whopper Agree with our findings Decide for yourself as you rate things on fib the o meter
8 AN OCTOPUS THAT LIVES IN TREES REAL OR FAKE The U S Pacific Northwest is wet So wet that a sea creature lives in the region's trees The Pacific Northwest tree octopus can be found swinging by its tentacles from the limbs of cedars and Douglas firs in the densely forested Olympic Peninsula in Washington State Cruising through the canopy like a chimp it searches for insects and frogs to eat while keeping a watchful eye out for hawks and bald eagles Dry summers are no problem for the octopus It gets all the water it needs from the soggy moss draping the trees A logger first reported the species to scientists in 1954 Before then the wild largely unexplored forests had kept the sea creature's existence a secret Unfortunately the removal of trees on the peninsula has drastically reduced the octopus's habitat and it is now endangered A website about the curious creature has been launched to help raise awareness and bring it back from the of brink extinction
