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.

1. Charles Darwin theorised that humans evolved from apes

   

   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.

2. Humans only use 10% of our brain

   

   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!

3. The color red angers a bull

   

   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, 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.

4. Jesus was born on December 25

   

   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 remained in use since then. The actual birthdate of Jesus is 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.

5. You have to drink 8 glasses of water everyday

   

   The idea that you need to drink exactly eight glasses of water each day is not based on scientific evidence. While staying hydrated is important, the amount of water needed varies 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.

6. Humans only have 5 senses

   The belief that humans only have five senses, which are sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell, is not entirely accurate. Humans have many more senses, including balance, temperature, pain, and proprioception, which is the sense of where our body parts are in relation to each other.

   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.

7. Whales are fish

   Whales are not fish but mammals. They breathe air, have warm blood, give live birth, and nurse their young with milk. These are all characteristics of mammals, not fish. Whales being classified as fish is a common misconception due to their aquatic lifestyle.

   No, whales are not fish. They are mammals.

   Whales are not fish. They are mammals. Sharks are the ones that are fish, not whales.

8. Men think about sex every seven seconds

   The idea that men think about sex every seven seconds is a popular but unfounded myth. The frequency of sexual thoughts can vary widely between individuals, and it's not solely dependent on gender. This belief has been debunked by numerous studies.

9. Human blood in veins is blue

   Despite how it is often depicted in illustrations, human blood is not blue when it is in your veins. Blood is always red due to the iron in hemoglobin, but it may appear darker in veins beneath the skin because of light absorption and scattering.

   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.

10. Elephant is the biggest mammal on Earth

    

    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.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Five-second rule

    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.

12. ?

    You can drown in quicksand

    You would descend up to your waist and go no further than that.

The Contenders

13. Swallowed chewing gum stays in the body for up to 7 years

    Swallowed chewing gum does not stay in the body for seven years. While the body can't fully digest gum, it doesn't stay in the stomach. It passes through the digestive system and is excreted in a similar timeframe as other food.

    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.

14. Infant vaccinations cause Autism

    

    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.

15. Europeans in Christopher Columbus’s time believed the world was flat

    The idea that Europeans in Christopher Columbus's time believed the world was flat is a myth. Scholars and educated people in the Middle Ages knew that the Earth was round, a fact understood since antiquity. Columbus's dispute with contemporary experts was about the size of the Earth, not its shape.

16. Winter weather causes colds and the flu

    

    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.

17. The Great Wall of China is one of only a handful of man made things that can be seen from space

    The idea that the Great Wall of China is visible from space is a myth. Astronauts have confirmed that the wall is not visible without aid from a significant height in space. Most man-made structures are not visible from such a distance without the aid of telescopic lenses.

    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.

18. "AD" stands for after death

    "AD" does not stand for "after death." It is an abbreviation for "Anno Domini," a Latin phrase that translates to "in the year of our Lord." This term refers to the years after the birth of Jesus, not after his death.

    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).

19. Carrots improve your vision

    While carrots are rich in vitamin A, which is important for eye health, eating them won't improve your vision beyond its normal capacity. This misconception was popularized during World War II to explain why British pilots had excellent night vision, which was actually due to radar, not carrot consumption.

20. Jesus was the founder of Christianity

    Although Jesus is a central figure in Christianity, he didn't establish the religion himself. It was his followers who formed the early Christian communities after his death, spreading his teachings and ultimately establishing the religion we know today as Christianity.

    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.

21. Cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis

    Cracking your knuckles does not lead to arthritis. The sound you hear when you crack your knuckles is caused by gas bubbles bursting in your joints, not by anything damaging. While excessive knuckle cracking could potentially lead to reduced grip strength, it won't cause arthritis.

    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.

22. Napoleon was shorter than average

    Contrary to popular belief, Napoleon Bonaparte was not particularly short. He was reported to be 5 feet 2 inches in French units, which is equivalent to about 5 feet 7 inches in modern international units, roughly average height for his time. The misconception likely arises from confusion between English and French measurements.

    Actually, Napoleon wasn't short at all. Well, not during his time. He was 5'6" to 5'7", which was slightly above average for Frenchmen at the time.

    Some sources say he was 5'2" (which would put him at the same size as Joan of Arc), but I'm not sure if they are legit.

    He was 5 feet 7 inches in international units, and the average French man at that time was 5 feet 5 inches.

23. Unionists were Democrats and the Confederates were the Republicans

    It's incorrect to say that Unionists were Democrats and Confederates were Republicans. During the American Civil War, the Union was largely supported by the Republican Party, while the Confederacy was largely composed of Democrats. However, the political ideologies of these parties have changed significantly over time.

24. Hong Kong is a country

    Hong Kong is not a separate country, but a Special Administrative Region of China. It has its own legal and economic systems which are separate from those of mainland China, but it is ultimately under Chinese sovereignty.

    No, it isn't. It's a Special Administrative Region of China that used to be a colony of the U.K. for many years until they gave it back in 1997.

25. Suck out snake venom could save the victim

    Trying to suck out snake venom is ineffective and potentially dangerous. It is more important to keep the victim calm, limit movement to slow the venom's spread, and seek immediate medical help. Modern treatment involves antivenom injections and supportive care, not venom extraction.

    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.

26. All bats are blind

    Contrary to popular belief, not all bats are blind. While many bats use echolocation to navigate in complete darkness, all bat species have eyes and are capable of sight. In fact, some bats have excellent vision.

    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.

27. Daddy Long Legs are extremely poisonous, but their mouths are too small to bite people

    The belief that Daddy Long Legs are extremely venomous but cannot bite humans due to their small mouths is a myth. They do not possess venom glands or fangs at all. The term "Daddy Long Legs" can refer to several species, but none are known to be harmful to humans.