There are so many old adages and sayings that we hear once and, for some reason, stick in our heads forever. We don’t challenge or question them. We simply accept them as fact. Part of the beauty of the modern age, though, is our ability to access diverse research at the tap of our fingers, so the time for counterproductive myths being blindly accepted as reality is over. Here are 18 things that most people believe despite science proving them false.
Humans Only Use 10% of Their Brains
While we certainly use different parts of the brain for different things, such as memory and hearing in the temporal lobe and personality and problem-solving in the frontal lobe, humans do actually use all of their brains. Multiple psychologists in the 20th century proposed this theory in different forms, but it has since been staunchly disproven.
Carrots Improve Your Vision
Carrots contain plenty of vitamin A, which is an important vitamin for vision. However, the idea that eating carrots in excess will give you 20/20 vision is nonsense.
Swallowed Gum Won’t Digest for 7 Years
Because gum does not dissolve in your mouth like other foods, people came up with the idea that it would remain in your gut for many years. This is false. Just like with everything else, your digestive system processes gum, and it comes out a few days later.
Shaving Makes Hair Grow Back Thicker
This one is based on the fact that the blunt ends of hair appear coarser after being shaved. However, this is only a temporary result. Shaving hair does not change the hair’s thickness nor its speed of growth.
Cracking Knuckles Leads to Arthritis
While there is still research to be done regarding cracking joints, studies have shown that there is no correlation between frequent knuckle cracking and arthritis. The popping sound is caused by gas bubbles bursting when the space between finger joints is increased.
Hair and Nails Keep Growing in Death
Once a person dies, their hair and nails stop growing. The reason this myth came to be is because hair and fingernails might appear longer after death due to the skin around them retracting. Dehydration in the body after death causes the skin to shrink, so there is an illusion of growth in hair and nails.
Goldfish Have a 3 Second Memory
You’ve probably heard the phrase “memory of a goldfish” when used to describe someone with a short memory. Goldfish take offense to this because they actually have much longer memories. They are capable of retaining information for years and navigating their surroundings.
Cold Weather Causes Colds
While cold weather can weaken the immune system and make a person more vulnerable to catching a virus, it cannot directly give someone a cold. That being said, there is some truth to this one.
Different Areas of the Tongue Control Different Tastes
There are no specific regions of the tongue that pick up on saltiness, sweetness, bitterness, sourness, etc. The tongue works as one cohesive organ and, in that way, registers different flavors and tastes.
Birds Will Abandon Their Chicks if Humans Touch Them
It’s a common myth that if you touch eggs or chicks, the mother bird will reject them. Birds likely won’t even be able to tell if a human touched the babies because birds have a poor sense of smell. They recognize their young in the same exact way that human beings do, through sight and sound. However, you should use caution and care when considering whether to touch a baby bird and do your research based on the specific situation.
Sugar Makes Kids Hyper
While it may seem like eating sugar gives children, or even adults, a “sugar high,” this one has likely become somewhat of a placebo. There is no conclusive evidence showing that sugar gives an increased boost of hyperactivity in kids.
Lighting Never Strikes the Same Place Twice
This is used to reassure someone that if a bad thing has happened once, it likely won’t happen again. But lightning can absolutely strike the same spot multiple times, and you should never deem a location safe from it because it’s already been struck there. In fact, a lot of places are more likely to be struck again and again because of a notable attraction between the bolt and the place.
Microwaving Food Reduces Nutrients
Microwaving food is actually one of the best ways to retain vitamins and nutrients in your food when you reheat it. You can steam food in your microwave by placing a small amount of water inside while you heat the food, and this helps to retain those nutrients.
Bats are Blind
The phrase “blind as a bat” is probably one you’ve heard many times. However, most bats can see fine. This is based on some species of bats having poor eyesight and relying on echolocation to travel.
Bulls are Angered by the Color Red
You could wildly wave a blue or green fabric at a bull and it would have the same reaction as it does to a red one. The agitation comes not from the color but from the movement of the fabric. Bulls are actually colorblind to red, and red was historically used to mask the bloodstains. Yikes.
Dogs Only See in Black and White
Dogs certainly have fewer color receptors than humans, but they don’t see the world in black and white. They see in shades of gray, brown, yellow, and blue. Colors are much more diluted as well.
Full Moons Cause Madness
This conclusion was probably drawn because the moon’s cycles influence natural phenomena like the tides, but it is largely baseless. A full moon does not make people act violent, depressed, or insane. However, scientists are still studying the ways in which the moon’s phases impact different physiological and psychological symptoms.
You Can See the Great Wall of China From Outer Space
The Great Wall is 13,171 miles or 21,196 kilometers in total, but you can’t see it from space with the naked eye. People often say that the Great Wall is the only manmade structure that can be viewed from the moon. This myth likely came from the fact that it can be captured with certain cameras and ideal weather conditions.
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