On October 9, 2024, social media exploded with claims of stunning visuals capturing Hurricane Milton from space. A post on X (formerly Twitter) featured a short video alongside three images, collectively amassing over 2.5 million views. The caption proclaimed, "The power of nature. That's Milton Category 5." However, as the content spread across various platforms like Instagram, Threads, and TikTok, skepticism arose about its authenticity.
While some viewers were captivated by the visuals, others pointed out discrepancies. "I really don't think this is nature," commented one user, while another speculated that the footage might be computer-generated. With such mixed reactions, it became crucial to verify the claims surrounding these images and videos.
Only one of the four visuals genuinely depicted Hurricane Milton from space. This article aims to dissect the viral content, rating its authenticity and analyzing the images and video clips one by one. By doing this, we can understand what is real and what is not regarding Hurricane Milton's portrayal in media.
Key Takeaways
- Out of four viral images, only one accurately showed Hurricane Milton from space.
- Skepticism in the audience highlighted the importance of verifying viral content.
- Understanding the context of images, like Typhoon Maysak being misrepresented as Hurricane Milton, is crucial.
- AI-generated images can mislead, emphasizing the need for critical evaluation of visual content.
On October 9, 2024, several videos and photos surfaced on social media, purportedly showing Hurricane Milton from space. One post (archived) on X featuring a short clip and three still images, garnered over 2.5 million views, reading: "The power of nature. That's Milton Category 5."
(X user @ShortReportOnX)
Some viewers were skeptical of the authenticity of the images. "I really don't think this is nature," one X user commented, while another one claimed the footage was computer-generated.
Another X post (archived), with the video and one of the photographs, captioned them: "A spectacular satellite image of a once-in-a-generation super hurricane," reaching over 528,200 views.
The clip and images were spread on multiple social media platforms, including Instagram, X, Threads, and TikTok.
Only one of the four images genuinely showed Hurricane Milton from space. For that reason, we have rated this claim a mixture of fact and fiction. Let's look at them one-by-one.
For convenience, the images and video clip are numbered 1 through 4, as shown below:
(X user @ShortReportOnX)
Authentic Video Captured on Oct. 8, 2024
The first item attached to the viral post was a short, two-second clip. Google reverse image search results showed it was spread by multiple social media users and news outlets, such as The Times of India and the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
The video clip was authentic and was originally shared by Sen, a U.K. startup that sent its ultra-high-definition cameras to the International Space Station (ISS).
Sen's X post featuring the video read: "Timelapse from our cameras on the International Space Station (ISS) shows the eye of Hurricane Milton."
The video was also uploaded to Sen's TikTok account and YouTube channel with a caption reading, "Hurricane Milton filmed from space as it travels across the Gulf of Mexico on 08 October 2024."
The full footage was also available via Sen's official website.
(www.sen.com)
Miscaptioned Photos from 2015
The second and third images in the post were authentic but depicted the 2015 Typhoon Maysak, not Hurricane Milton.
TinEye results showed the second photo was circulating at least since 2022; however, its full version was available online since 2015. Alarmy.com, a stock photo website, captioned it, "Maysak seen from the ISS 2" and noted "NASA Image Collection" as a contributor.
The original photograph was captured by NASA astronaut Terry Virts and originally shared on April 1, 2015, on the Facebook page of the International Space Station.
(International Space Station Facebook page)
The original image was flipped 90 degrees and slightly cropped (see image below):
(X user @ShortReportOnX, International Space Station Facebook page)
TinEye results indicated the third image had circulated online at least since early April 2015. Similarly, it showed Typhoon Maysak and was captured on March 31, 2015, and published on NASA's website on April 1, 2015.
(NASA.gov)
Its caption said it showed Typhoon Maysak, and European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti captured it while flying over the weather system onboard the International Space Station. The photograph was also shared by the website of NASA Earth Observatory.
In this case, the original image was flipped 180 degrees and cropped, as illustrated in the comparison below (with the cropped image on the left and the original on the right):
(X user @ShortReportOnX, NASA.gov)
Below you can see more photographs of Typhoon Maysak shared by Cristoforetti via her X account in early April 2015:
Artificially Created Image
Finally, a TinEye reverse image search revealed that the fourth image has been circulating online since at least 2023. As a result, it cannot depict Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
The photo was available on the Adobe Stock website with a caption in German reading, "A hurricane over the sea." Moreover, the image was one of a series, three of which were labeled as AI-generated.
(Adobe Stock)
In sum, the fourth image showed signs of being artificially created (with unnatural colors, particularly in the hurricane's eye), lacking the realistic gradients typically found in nature, and having an overly polished appearance. Moreover, no reputable media outlets had shared or verified the image.
Hive and AI or Not tools for also concluded the image was "likely AI generated." Similarly, TrueMedia.org website found "substantial evidence of manipulation" in the image.
(Hive)
Below you can find some authentic photographs of Hurricane Milton shared by the International Space Station on October 9, 2024:
Hurricane Milton is pictured as a Category 5 storm in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from the space station on October 8, 2024.