A viral post on X claims that scientists have unveiled a 3D reconstruction of what the first human (according to Biblical tradition), Adam, might have looked like – using a mixture of “cutting edge” AI, historical research and ancient genetic information. While this claim seems plausible enough, the rendered image has also caught attention for resembling American actor Vin Diesel.
What is the story behind this viral claim? While these recent posts definitively state that this is “newly unveiled” and revolutionary technology, a quick search for an actual paper or research article that lays out the reconstruction process turned up no results.
Instead, we found that this same image and claim has already made the rounds in 2022 with slightly different wording. In the 2022 claims, this reconstruction of Adam was a 3D-model supposedly done by “scientists at Princeton” with no mention of AI. We then traced the image and claim back to a post made in October 2022 by the X account of a theatre in New York called Alamo Drafthouse.
Based on the complete lack of evidence and a follow-up post with the disclaimer that the account is “a movie theatre not an academic journal,” it appears that the account completely fabricated the claim as a joke, which then went viral and was reshared as real information.
A search for the original image claimed to be Adam further showed that it is, indeed, a 3D rendering of Vin Diesel crafted by a 3D character artist and posted to a public platform in 2016. The Alamo Drafthouse account took this image and used it without crediting the original artist.
From what we could find, scientists and archaeologists often reconstruct and model the likeness of early humans using fossil evidence alongside genetic data. However, the examples of these projects that generally do not involve reconstructing biblical figures or specific characters from other mythical or religious texts.
We therefore give this claim a rating of false. Scientists have not unveiled a 3D reconstruction of Adam that looks like Vin Diesel.
We also found copycat posts from 2024 using the same wording to show a rendering of Eve that looks suspiciously like Taylor Swift. These, along with the original Adam post, have long been debunked by other fact-checking outlets as well.
Despite this debunking, social media posters recycling old misinformation and embellishing them with new, more relevant details (such as “cutting edge AI technology) is a persistent problem. These new claims have garnered millions of views and likely led to new waves of audiences being fooled and misled.
Incentivised by virality and profit, it is tough to halt the constant stream of such misleading claims. However, as internet users we should definitely approach these posts with a critical eye and make sure to check reputable sources if any part of a claim appears doubtful or unbelievable.
