DIA's legacy of conspiracy theories

As far as we can tell, DIA is not the Illuminati's headquarters.

Details: The rumors that something "nefarious" was underway in northeast Denver when the airport's construction began in the late 1980s are likely the start of a long, weird legacy of conspiracy theories linked to DIA, according to the Denver Public Library.

Zoom in: Some conspiracies include the runways forming swastikas as a tribute to the new world order, a Freemasons crest on a dedication capstone proving its connection to a secret government, and of course, Blucifer, the nickname for the demonic mustang sculpture who watches over all of it.

• Its tragic backstory — the sculpture's creator, Luis Jiménez, died after a piece fell on him — has only fueled its eerie connection to the airport.

State of play: In recent years, the airport has leaned into the oddities by installing a talking gargoyle and becoming sister airports with Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico, home to its own infamous conspiracy involving aliens.

Yes, but: Those rumors can sometimes turn into widespread misinformation.

• A social media post in 2020 falsely suggested there was a mural at the airport with children wearing face masks created in the 1990s as proof the pandemic was planned.