April Fools' jokes and clever tricks have entertained people for centuries.
From fanciful newspaper stories to ribald or bold public stunts, some pranks fooled thousands and even made headlines around the world.
Here are eight pranks that left people surprised, confused, amused.
Ever heard about how the public got fooled by these April Fools' gags?
1. Turning Black And White To Colour?
In 1962, before colour televisions arrived in Sweden, viewers of Sveriges Television were told they could turn their black-and-white televisions into colour at home.
A supposed expert, Kjell Stensson, claimed that stretching nylon stockings over the screen would bend light and create colour. Trusting the country's only TV channel, thousands tried it -- later discovering it was an April Fools' joke.
2. Caltech's Clever Stadium Trick
In 1961, students from the California Institute of Technology altered the cards used for a stadium display at the famous Rose Bowl football venue at Pasadena. When fans of the Washington Huskies raised them, the crowd was accidentally shown CALTECH.
Ironically, Caltech did not even have a football side, and the match was against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
3. Swift's April Fools Trick
In 1708, writer Jonathan Swift, using the pseudonym Isaac Bickerstaff, published a fake prediction that astrologer John Partridge, known for his many wrong predictions especially on Great Fevers, would die on March 29 from -- what else -- a fever on the dot of 11 pm.
Later, Swift even announced his 'death'. When Partridge appeared alive on April 1, people were confused.
The prank damaged his reputation, and he later stopped publishing his almanacs.
4. The Spaghetti Tree Joke
On April 1, 1957, the BBC aired a report showing people in Ticino, Switzerland, picking spaghetti from trees. The programme depicted families pulling long strands from branches and later enjoying their 'freshly-grown' pasta.
Many viewers believed the story and even asked how to grow their own spaghetti plants at home.
5. Edison's Wonder Machine Hoax
In 1878, the newspaper New York Graphic printed a story claiming inventor Thomas Edison had built a device that changed soil into food and water into wine. The report was completely made up, but several American newspapers repeated it as real news (the 'fake news' of that era).
Later, the Graphic revealed it was only a joke and mocked readers who had believed it.
6. The Lion Washing Trick
In 1698, people were invited to watch the washing of the lions at the Tower of London. Many believed the event was real and arrived expecting to see the animals being cleaned.
The joke appeared again in later years, including 1848, when a reporter handed out invitation cards. Large crowds came to watch, only to discover the event did not exist.
7. The Fake Statue Of Liberty
In 1978, students Leon Varjian and Jim Mallon ran for office at University of Wisconsin-Madison promising to place the Statue of Liberty in nearby Lake Mendota.
After winning, they built a large copy using simple materials and set it up on the frozen lake in 1979. The playful stunt became a well-known campus joke.
8. The Man In A Bottle Hoax
In 1749, London newspapers announced a show whereby a performer would fit his whole body inside a wine bottle and sing while trapped inside. Many people bought tickets to see the strange act.
The theatre filled up, but no performer appeared. The trick, linked to William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland, left the crowd angry when they realised it was a hoax.
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