A new version of an old hoax has been gaining attention through an Instagram meme.
The Sept. 26 reel, which was liked over 40,000 times in two days, claims there are "giant human caucasian skeletons in Ohio that predate any known civilizations."
This isn't the first time a claim like this has spread on social media, or in history.
False claims of giant skeletons have circulated since at least 1845, the Columbus Dispatch reported. In December 2014, a satirical news site called the World News Daily Report wrote an article about the Smithsonian destroying giant skeletons that spurred confusion online.
The latest claim is also wrong. Mark Hubbe, an anthropology professor at Ohio State University, said there is no evidence of giant skeletons in Ohio.
USA TODAY reached out to several users who shared the post for comment.
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Hubbe said he is confident the most recent claim "is not based on any real findings."
W. Scott McGraw, the chair of Ohio State's anthropology department, agreed. While he said there are "lots of wonderful stories about this kind of thing," they were just that – stories.
"It would be great if there were giants!" he said. However, so far it has just been "creativity and imagination."
But at least one user who shared the post insists the giant skeletons are real.
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