A video has been making rounds on social media claiming that rain of worms occurred in China. The video shows numerous worm-like objects falling from the sky, which has caused many to express their concerns and fears about the event.
Social Media Claim
A Facebook User shared a video of this phenomenon with the caption, “Worm rain in China.”
The same video was shared by the Insider Post on Twitter with the caption, “WATCH 🚨 China citizens told to find shelter after it looked like it started to rain worms.” The video has received over 12 million views so far.
The story was even covered by the New York Post.
However, upon closer inspection, we found that the objects in the video were not worms, as claimed.
Fact-Checking
To conduct further investigation, we utilized the Reverse Image Search feature. This allowed us to analyze keyframes from the video and gain additional context. Additionally, we conducted research in the Chinese context to find relevant information.
We have found many articles explaining the phenomenon mentioned. According to the article on Baidu, the object in question is actually a type of plant called the Poplar Flower or Catkin. These plants often bloom and fall from the tree during spring when the weather gets warmer.
They can be carried by the wind for long distances and often fall on streets or parked vehicles in open areas. Chinese netizens have also recently shared pictures of Catkin that have fallen on the ground on social media.
Furthermore, the international fact-checking website, Factly has also debunked the above claim and explained that Catkin flowers are produced by Poplar trees commonly found in China. These types of flowers often fall on streets or parked vehicles in open areas.
Here are additional pictures of catkins that have fallen on cars in China.
Here is a closer look at Catkins from Tree Guide UK.
Conclusion
Our investigation has revealed that the objects seen in the video are not worms but rather a type of plant called “catkin.” Catkins are flowers that fall from poplar trees during springtime. Therefore, the claim of a “worm rain” in China is false, and the objects seen in the video are actually plant materials.
Title:Debunked: What Actually Shows in the Viral Video of “Worm Rain” in China
Fact Check By: Fact Crescendo TeamResult: False
