Animal Pangaea

Had Pangaea not been discovered some hundred years ago, The Onion’s claim that Earth’s animals once formed a giant ‘super-animal’ may have been quite compelling. The article immediately established ethos, or a credible source of information, citing a recent study done by researchers at Penn State University. Known as a large research university, the general public would have no reason to doubt findings presented by Penn State, allowing this hoax to gain efficient credibility within the readers’ minds. While this article lacked in the category of pathos, this did not necessarily work against it in any way. Represented as a huge break in the science field, it would have seemed odd if they attempted to persuade the reader by appealing to their emotions. Instead, by presenting factual evidence, the article came off as sophisticated, keeping neutral ground with any related ethical beliefs. In this sense, the lack of pathos actually helped develop a stronger hoax, allowing the article to come off as more believable. Another large component of the article’s potential to persuade readers of the truth behind the hoax is the reasoning displayed. The logos used in the article are in fairly simple terms, allowing almost anyone to understand the reasoning behind the evidence. Gary Albright, a supposed lead researcher at Penn State, stated, “if one looks at certain species closely, it’s possible to see how, for example, the giraffe’s neck fits together with the hippopotamus’s underbelly, or the dolphin’s tail forms a perfect contour with the stingray’s back.” It is easy to visualize this, especially when using the graphic of the ‘super-animal’ at the top of the webpage. Despite the ethos, pathos, and logos used strategically throughout the article, The Onion’s claim still appears as far-fetched under the well known historical evidence of Pangaea.