APRIL FOOL?

It’s April 1st. today!

April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day is a holiday celebrated in various countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbours, or sending them on a fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. Traditionally, in some countries, such as the UK, Australia, and South Africa the jokes only last until noon, and someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool". Elsewhere, such as in France, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Russia, The Netherlands, Brazil, Canada, and the U.S., the jokes last all day. The earliest recorded association between April 1 and foolishness can be found in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392).

The Yorkshire Post (our morning newspaper) usually has an April Fools piece of news printed somewhere in it. I remember one year when an article claimed that gold had been discovered on the east coast! Having carefully read through the paper today I think the item entitled, “Songbird Offers Genetic Clues” must be the April Fools News Item.

In the article it states:
A songbird has had its genetic code mapped for the first time, revealing surprising discoveries which could help humans. The Zebra Finch is only the second bird to have its DNA blueprint or genome unscrambled, after the humble chicken. Results from the international research project which included seven British groups, shed new light on the complex brain circuitry behind language. The results could help resolve human disorders.

Hope you didn’t get caught out by any April Fools hoaxes!