Have you ever wondered about science myths that seem too good to be true, or misconceptions that people have? It can be hard to separate fact from fiction, especially since there are so many debates that blur the lines, but we’ve got the information you need to know the truth about the world around you.
Seeing Red
If you’ve ever seen a bullfight, you’ve probably seen a bull go crazy when it sees the matador and the red cape. However, they don’t go into attack mode because of the red color; it’s the movement of the cape and the bullfighter entering their personal space that triggers the response. Like humans, they don’t like having their bubble invaded.
Cracking Knuckles
Parents have told children for decades not to crack their knuckles because they’ll get arthritis. Doctors have proven that this is not true, and upon examining the two leading causes of arthritis — namely, inflammatory and non-inflammatory — some of the primary causes are autoimmune diseases or issues that develop over time. It has been shown, however, that science does not support the myth that cracking knuckles causes arthritis.
Turkey
Turkey doesn’t make you sleepy. While it does contain tryptophan, serotonin, and melatonin, studies have shown it doesn’t have enough to make you sleepy—not on its own. For instance, beef, cheese, and chicken also contain comparable amounts of these amino acids, and people don’t feel sleepy after eating them. It’s more likely that you’re tired because you’ve been up all day, have consumed a lot of carbs and sugar, and may have been drinking.
Wet Hair
How many times have you gotten out of a shower or bath as a kid, only for your parents to scold you about going to bed with wet hair? For a long time, it was widely believed that this could cause infections. However, recent studies have suggested that, though it can make you uncomfortable, there is no conclusive proof that going to bed with wet hair can cause infections.
Toilets
When you were younger, you might have heard that toilets in certain parts of the hemisphere swirl in the opposite direction. However, an astronomer and science writer has refuted this claim by saying that during his visit to a country where this rumor is most prevalent, the water didn’t swirl at all. After conducting additional research, he concluded that a toilet’s water has nothing to do with the Earth’s spin.
Trimming Hair
Women have been told for ages that trimming their hair makes it grow faster. The idea behind it is that you’ll stimulate your hair and then it will grow back quicker. However, studies have shown that hair growth occurs from the follicles on the scalp, not the ends, so a haircut doesn’t influence growth.
Left-Handed People
Over the years, numerous articles have been written about left-handed individuals and their creative abilities. This stems from the idea that they are more dominant using the right side of their brain, which is considered the creative side. However, a Polish study debunked this by conducting a survey and finding that artists display higher levels of creativity, regardless of which hand they use.
Moon
The dark side of the moon is a misconception. The moon rotates once every time it goes around our planet. When this happens, we’re only seeing one side of the moon, known as the near side. The far side is never visible from Earth. Scientists and astronomers explain that the sun experiences the same sunrises, nighttime, daytime, etc., as we do, so it isn’t always dark on the moon.
Wet Cell Phone
When your cell phone gets submerged in water, many people suggest using a bag of rice to dry it out. Recent studies have shown, however, that rice can get lodged inside your phone, potentially damaging the ports by introducing particles that can cause internal damage. If you’ve dropped your phone into water, there are better methods than rice to save it.
5 Second Rule
This “rule” states that if you drop food on the floor, you can simply pick it up, blow it off, and it will be fine. Although it may seem like a practical idea to some, the five-second rule has long been debunked. Bacteria can adhere to your food immediately, potentially making you sick in that same time frame.
Batteries
Storing batteries in the refrigerator doesn’t make them last longer; in fact, it does the opposite. Keeping batteries in extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, reduces their performance. When you store them in the fridge, you expose them to moisture and other factors that can damage them, rendering them unusable.
Dinosaurs
While dinosaurs have been depicted as having coexisted with humans on television, the truth is that they died out millions of years before humans appeared. It would have been an extraordinary experience to live alongside them, but it’s probably better that we didn’t. However, we still have some of their descendants roaming the earth.
Planes
If you get sick on a plane, the misconception is that it’s because the air is infested with bacteria. That’s not true. Planes use HEPA filters to ensure that nearly 100% of particulate matter is removed, and they refresh the air frequently to prevent passengers from contracting illnesses. You’re more likely to get sick from other passengers than from airborne bacteria.
Bats
Bats are not blind; they can see quite well and even have better eyesight than humans in certain conditions. They have sensitive vision because they’re nocturnal, which means they need less light to see clearly, allowing them to hunt effectively at night. Studies on fruit bats have shown that they can see about three times better than the average human.
The Sun
The sun itself is not responsible for global warming. According to NASA, while there are subtle changes in the planet’s orbit that account for the ebbs and flows of ice ages, the rapid warming we are experiencing is too significant to be attributed solely to the sun. Studies have shown that human contributions to greenhouse gas emissions play a major role in global warming.
Debunked
Most of these myths have been around for ages, but now you know which ones should be taken with a grain of salt, or at least a pinch of salt. With our list, you can see that planes are safe, food should be thrown out if dropped, and it probably wasn’t a good idea to have dinosaurs roam the earth alongside us.
