Top 10 Common Misconceptions
Things people believe to be true that are factually incorrect. These false facts, old wives tales, rules of thumb, and other misconceptions are relatively common and some of them may be things you mistakenly think are true.
Charles Darwin's theory of evolution does not claim that humans evolved from apes, but rather that humans and modern apes share a common ancestor. His theory of evolution by natural selection is about how species evolve over time, not a linear progression from one specific species to another.
The claim that humans only use 10% of their brain is a myth. Neuroimaging studies have shown that all parts of the brain have a function and are active at some point, though not all areas are active at the same time. We use virtually every part of the brain, just not all at once. This is the one that annoys me the most, as movies trot it out all the time like it's science.
Hardly. You actually use one hundred percent of your brain, not 10%.
My friend asked me this question, then she said we use 10% of our brain. Ha!
Contrary to popular belief, bulls are not enraged by the color red. Bulls, like all other cattle, are colorblind to red. It's the movement of the matador's cape, and not the color, that provokes the bull's reaction. Bulls are color blind. It's the waving motion that attracts them. The red color is for the benefit of the crowd.
Bulls are colorblind. It's the waving movement of the cape that annoys them.
They are colorblind! When you wave the cape, they get annoyed for unknown reasons.
Despite popular belief, the Bible does not specify December 25 as the birthdate of Jesus. The date was chosen by the early Christian church to coincide with existing pagan celebrations, and it has stuck around ever since. The actual birthdate of Jesus remains unknown. Yes. Everyone seems to think that Jesus was born on December 25. He was not. He wasn't even born in winter. He was probably born in late spring or early summer. It seems like I'm one of the only people who knows this. Great list, by the way.
We celebrate his birthday on that day. He wasn't born then.
The idea that you need to drink exactly eight glasses of water each day isn't based on scientific evidence. While staying hydrated is important, the amount of water needed can vary greatly from person to person and depends on factors like age, sex, weight, activity level, and overall health. You can't drink eight glasses of water every day. I tried that once, and I had to go to the bathroom the whole day. Trust me. It's not fun.
Believe me, I've never done this. Three is probably the most I've ever drunk.
According to some scientists, humans actually have 21 senses.
There are many more, such as the sense of temperature.
It is now recognized that there are more than five senses.
No, whales are not fish. They are mammals.
Whales are not fish. They are mammals. Sharks are the ones that are fish, not whales.
While elephants are the largest land mammal, the title for the largest mammal overall goes to the blue whale. Blue whales are the biggest animals to have ever lived, even larger than the largest dinosaurs. No. The elephant is not the biggest mammal in the world. The blue whale is. They are also the world's biggest animals because they are even bigger than the dinosaurs! While the African elephant is the biggest land mammal, the blue whale is the biggest sea mammal.
The blue whale is the biggest mammal on Earth.
The blue whale called. It wants its title back.
Blood in the body is just as red as when it comes out. The apparent blue coloring is caused by the walls of the veins and your skin.
The Newcomers
This suggests that if you pick up food that you dropped within 5 seconds, it is still safe to eat. In reality, bacteria start entering food pretty much immediately as it hits the ground.
You would descend up to your waist and go no further than that.
The idea is that gum cannot be digested. But if you have ever chewed a piece of gum until it breaks down, you know this isn't true.
Some people say that it's stuck in your stomach when you eat it. Your body can't digest it, but it doesn't keep sitting in your stomach.
It usually takes less than 7 days for gum to be passed through your system completely.
Colds and the flu are caused by viruses, not cold weather. However, these viruses spread more easily in the winter, possibly because people spend more time indoors in close proximity to each other. Cold temperatures themselves do not cause these illnesses. Colds and the flu are caused by viruses, not the temperature of the air. Bad weather may cause people to congregate, which leads to viruses being shared more frequently, but it does not cause the sickness.
Multiple scientific studies have shown that there is no link between vaccinations and autism. This misconception started from a now-debunked and retracted study. Vaccinations are an essential part of infant and child healthcare. This hypothesis was proven wrong years ago, yet some people (including Donald Trump) still believe it! Stop living in the past, Trump, and get your facts up to date. To prove vaccinations don't cause autism, there is no correlation between vaccination and autism rates.
Never been proven. The lone often-cited study that fueled the whole debate was completely biased, disowned by the journal that published it, and authored by a researcher who may be criminally prosecuted.
How many times do we have to debunk anti-vaxxers to get it through their heads that it's a complete myth? Ignorance is really a way of "saving people's lives" instead of accepting the fact that vaccines save lives, not kill.
True, you can see the wall from space, but it's difficult. You have to know what you are looking for, and the conditions have to be just right. But think about it. If you can see the wall, which is roughly the same color as the surrounding terrain and is less than 50 feet wide, then you can certainly see a 12-lane Los Angeles freeway that is over twice as wide, as well as a whole bunch of other man-made objects.
This makes absolutely no sense. If "B.C." means "before Christ," then Jesus would have lived for only a moment, as 1 "before Christ" would come right before 1 "after death." It actually means "anno domini" (Latin: year of our Lord).
Jesus was a Jew, not a Christian. He was the Messiah and the actual Son of God, which kind of makes it complicated.
He did not intend to create a new religion. It was his followers who did so.
There was this guy who cracked the knuckles on his right hand only for 60 years. There's no difference between his left and right hand.
Actually, no. There's no known connection between knuckle cracking and hand arthritis.
The sound of your knuckles cracking is actually the nitrogen popping in the area.
Sucking out snake venom may lead to infection. A poisonous bite requires antivenom and treatment.
Get ready for a lip infection. Plus, you'll have lips like Kylie Jenner.
Although bats have tiny eyes, they are not blind. Bigger bats can see three times better than humans.
You're telling me that my elementary school teachers have lied to me this whole time?
"Blind as a bat" is a catchphrase now. People used to think bats were blind.
At the spire of the Empire State Building, lightning has already struck 38 times.