Friday 23 October 2026 · Edition of the day

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The Skeptic's Daily

The day's biggest stories, taken apart. For each one: what is actually established, what is only asserted, the questions worth asking — and a plausibility score for the central claim, given everything currently known.

Stories
1
Average plausibility
70%
How to read the score
It rates how well the core claim is evidenced — not how important the story is, nor whether it is good or bad news.
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01ScienceSouth America

Iguazú Falls sees near-record water flows after wet October

NPR reports unusually high flows at the Brazil–Argentina border and a scientific link between the rainfall and the Super El Niño.

NPR reports near-record volumes of water at Iguazú Falls following a rain-soaked October. Its summary says scientists link the wet conditions to the Super El Niño and describes the falls as spanning more than a mile across Brazil and Argentina.

What holds up

  • ✓NPR directly reports near-record flows following heavy October rainfall.
  • ✓The item places the falls on the Brazil–Argentina border and attributes the climate connection to scientists.

What doesn't yet

  • ?No flow measurements, observation dates or historical comparison series are supplied to substantiate 'near-record.'
  • ?The excerpt does not identify the scientists or explain the evidence linking the rainfall to the Super El Niño.

Ask before you share

  • →What measurements and historical baseline establish that flows are near a record?
  • →How did scientists assess the Super El Niño’s contribution to the rainfall?

Sources & original reporting

  1. [1]NPR · Published 22 Oct 2026 · npr.org