Martian Invasion

On 30 October, 1938, an American radio station was giving listeners a program on classic books. As they read H G Wells' War of the Worlds, a book about a Martian invasion of New Jersey, news flashes tried to ensure that all their listeners knew it was just a story. When the Martians "landed" in New Jersey, people "saw" Martians everywhere. New Yorkers fled from highrises with handkerchiefs over their noses to protect against "Martian gas". Hospitals were overwhelmed with traumatised patients.