If you think a story is actually true, one of the best ways to check it out is by going to Snopes.com. So we thought this was interesting.

Talk about "fake news." Did you hear about that Missouri woman that ate a baby while high on crystal meth? That didn't happen. There also aren't any giant mutant spiders in the state, and a shark did not attack a man on a flooded highway. These stories, and plenty more, are what you'll find if you do a search for "Missouri" at Snopes.com.

Snopes is a website that specializes in "rumor research," which tries to cut through disinformation and present the facts as they relate to urban legends, internet rumors, etc.

The snopes.com website was founded by David Mikkelson, who lives and works in the Los Angeles area. What he began in 1995 as an expression of his interest in researching urban legends has since grown into what is widely regarded by folklorists, journalists, and laypersons alike as one of the World Wide Web's essential resources. Snopes.com is routinely included in annual 'Best of the Web' lists and has been the recipient of two Webby awards." - Snopes.com

So what are a few Missouri rumors that Snopes has debunked? Well, for one, the government isn't growing any giant mutant spiders in The Show-Me State. Photographs that were claiming to show the giant mutant spiders were actually depicting coconut crabs, which, to be fair, do look like giant mutant spiders, but they're not. And they don't live anywhere near Missouri.

Another story Snopes "investigated" (I doubt it took much investigating to figure out this was false) regarded a photo that claimed to show a shark attack on a flooded Missouri highway. "Let's take a moment to judge the authenticity of the photograph based on simple common sense," said Snopes. If you think Sharknado is ridiculous, check out the bad picture of the highway shark attack. It's sad, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out there were a few people out there that thought this was legit.

By the way, if there are any rumors you're curios about, Snopes does have a "submit a rumor" button that allows you to suggest stories for investigation. Next time you're wondering if there really is an illegal pig brothel being run somewhere in the state, you'll know who to ask.

Thanks to Kurt Parsons for material in this article.

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