Alternative 3

Aired in the late 1970s as an episode of the British television documentary series Science Report, the film tells the story of a worldwide conspiracy to make the moon and Mars suitable for habitation—not for everyone, but for a select few. Scientists and world leaders had decided that this was the only viable alternative to the complete extinction of humanity, given that Earth would soon become uninhabitable due to global heating.

The mockumentary begins with an investigation into the sudden and inexplicable disappearance of scientists, in parallel with strange space missions, unprecedented warm relations between the then-Soviet Union and the United States, and the mysterious death of an astronomer who allegedly left behind a tape containing evidence.

The broadcast was scheduled for 1 April 1977, but it was postponed until June because of strikes. Due to the authority of presenter Tim Brinton and the clever use of archive material and real scientific findings, some viewers failed to see through the hoax.