The Hot Air Balloon that (never) Crossed the Atlantic Ocean for the First Time
Edgar Allan Poe and The Sun in the Origins of Science Fiction through Fake News
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37467/revvisual.v9.3655Keywords:
Fake news, Edgar Allan Poe, The Sun, “The Balloon-Hoax”, Science fiction, 19th-century written press, First transatlantic flightAbstract
Some news published in The Sun in 1844 reported that a hot air balloon had been able to cross the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. However, what should have been a milestone in the history of mankind was nothing more than a hoax spread by the writer Edgar Allan Poe. Thus, this work aims to analyze the short story "The Balloon-Hoax", emphasizing its origins, its impact and the sources that inspired the author in the creation of a tale that is essential for the science fiction genre.
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