Creepy mystery of people crawling out of NYC manholes sparks wild theories - The US Sun
the-sun.com
When strangers behave inexplicably in public, the human mind races to fill the gap — and this NYC manhole mystery is a perfect case study in how conspiracy thinking is born.
ApopheniaConspiracy Theory FormationMoral PanicSocial Contagion
Theory Briefing
- A mysterious group dubbed 'mole men' was filmed crawling in and out of NYC manholes, triggering a major official response.
- With no clear explanation offered, the public flooded social media with wild conspiracy theories — a textbook case of apophenia in action.
- The viral incident shows how ambiguous urban events rapidly become folklore, as people impose narrative patterns on random or mundane activity.