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Like many historical milestones, man’s first walk on the moon has its share of skeptics. Various groups have claimed that NASA and the U.S. government constructed an elaborate hoax and fabricated Apollo 11’s landing.

Here’s a sampling of the many conspiracy theories out there:

? The U.S. government, under President Nixon, staged the moon landing in order to beat the Russians during the Cold War and to divert the attention of the American public from the Vietnam War.

? The walk on the moon was actually filmed in a studio. Some claim the video was produced by acclaimed movie director Stanley Kubrick.

? The overriding “evidence” of the theorists is inconsistencies within the pictures taken on the moon. In particular, they claim that the shot of Buzz Aldrin holding a waving U.S. flag would have been impossible because there is no wind on the moon’s surface. Also, the fact that no stars are visible in the photos has raised eyebrows.

? Moon rocks brought back to Earth were actually lunar meteorites collected in Antarctica .

? Twelve NASA employees died shortly after the Apollo 11 landed, prompting speculation that they may have been murdered in an elaborate cover-up.

NASA, the U.S. government, and all astronauts involved, of course, maintain that man’s walk on the moon happened as witnessed by the American public on July 20th, 1969. Some defend the event very passionately. When he was once approached by a conspiracy theorist who questioned the truth of his mission, Buzz Aldrin promptly punched him in the face!

So, you decide…did man actually walk on the moon? Click here to email us and let us know what you think!