Tracing the Origins of the 2023 'Grandpa’s Nightstand' Photos: A 4chan Thread, Image Discrepancies, and the Authenticity–Hoax Debate in the Meme–AI Era

To the point

Two images traced to a June 16, 2023 4chan thread appear to be the origin of the viral Grandpa’s Nightstand alien photos, with TinEye dating discrepancies fueling a debate about authenticity and suggesting a possible hoax or three‑dimensional sculpture, and Dylan, writing as Alien Archivist, urging careful scrutiny while inviting earlier sources to update the timeline as the piece shows how memes, disinformation, and AI imagery can spark a global online phenomenon.