Recently, a cluster of overseas social media accounts have been circulating a screenshot taken from a video showing the interior of China's Tiangong Space Station. The image shows a cup of water on a table in front of a Chinese astronaut.

Because the water does not appear to float in microgravity, these accounts are accusing China of staging or faking the footage. Some posts have received millions of views, fueling yet another round of misinformation.

Germany's Deutsche Welle (DW) interviewed the national aerospace agency and experts, who dismissed the allegation.

A spokesperson for the German Aerospace Center said: "We have reviewed the footage involving the water and found no indication of fakery."

A scientist at the University of Bremen explained that the cup was specially designed so that the water would stay in the position and shape seen in the image.

A closer look at several of the influential rumor-spreading accounts cited by DW reveals that many regularly post anti-China content. This suggests that certain actors with ulterior motives are simply exploiting the public attention focused on the Shenzhou-20 mission.

In fact, the screenshot originates from the December 2021 livestream of the first "Tiangong classroom" by Shenzhou-13 astronauts Wang Yaping, Zhai Zhigang, and Ye Guangfu. From 2022 to the present, the same rumor has resurfaced at least four times internationally.

The first major resurgence came in June 2022, when posts on Facebook and other platforms suddenly circulated images and text accusing China of faking its space station environment.

According to an investigation by Factcheck Lab, the rumor likely originated within communities of conspiracy theorists who subscribe to the "flat Earth" belief, with several anti-China accounts amplifying the narrative.

On June 30, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and the media platform "Our Space" quickly clarified that the cup was fixed to the table to facilitate experiments, and that surface tension kept the water from floating away.

Several international outlets reported these explanations accurately, helping dispel the rumor. Both Chinese institutions and domestic and international media have repeatedly debunked the allegations with clear scientific explanations.

In June 2023, another video — this time deliberately circling the cup to spotlight it — spread widely on overseas platforms, accompanied by the question: "Why doesn't the water spill out of the cup?"

The Associated Press (AP) responded with a detailed fact-check, citing University of Chicago postdoctoral researcher Jordan Bimm. Bimm said "Water molecules like to stick to glass and also to other water molecules more than they like to disperse in the air."

He added that surface tension "also works to help maintain the static shape and presents the illusion of how water would act on the ground."

The rumor resurfaced yet again this June, pushed by conspiracy theorists recycling the same claim. Media outlets including the BBC and The Sun cited the AP's 2023 report to clarify the science and dismiss the accusation.

The cyclical reappearance of the "China faked its space station" rumor, despite repeated and authoritative debunkings, reflects several underlying factors. Conspiracy theorists unfamiliar with the physics of space flight actively search for "evidence" to validate their beliefs. Anti-China accounts eager for attention willingly spread falsehoods without regard for facts.

While public enthusiasm for space exploration creates high traffic for related content, advanced scientific knowledge about microgravity is relatively limited, making some viewers uncertain when confronted with misleading images.

But today, after multiple rounds of fact-checking and scientific outreach by Chinese and international media, fewer people appear willing to believe such claims. In the comment sections of the recent rumor-spreading posts, the overwhelming majority of users expressed skepticism or disapproval.

Some patiently explained the scientific principles involved. Others urged the posters to "read more."

China's progress in space station construction, lunar exploration, and other aerospace technologies — and its significant contributions to exploration of space — are recognized across the world. Spreading absurd claims like "China faked its space station" wins no support and only brings ridicule upon those who make them.