We are not saying anything new if we say that we are all victims of misconceptions, impressions that do not reflect the state of things and sometimes even prejudices. Well, here are 20 of the most common misconceptions…
20 Common Misconceptions
- The Great Wall of China is visible from space. It’s not.
- Bulls get angry when they see the color red. They are actually colorblind.
- We only use 10% of our brains. We actually use all of it.
- Carrots improve your eyesight. While they are good for your eyes, they don’t necessarily improve your eyesight.
- The tongue has distinct regions for different tastes. This is not true.
- Gum takes 7 years to digest if swallowed. It actually passes through the digestive system like any other food.
- Vaccines cause autism. There is no scientific evidence to support this claim.
- The five-second rule applies to food dropped on the floor. It’s not safe to eat food that has come into contact with the floor.
- The idea of a “sugar rush” is a myth. Sugar doesn’t actually cause hyperactivity in children.
- Drinking alcohol warms you up. Alcohol actually makes your body lose heat faster.
- Lightning never strikes the same place twice. It can strike the same place multiple times.
- Goldfish have a three-second memory. They can actually remember things for months.
- Humans have only five senses. We actually have many more, including proprioception and thermoception.
- A penny dropped from the top of a building can kill a person. It won’t, due to air resistance.
- Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb. He only improved on an existing design.
- The Great Pyramids were built by slaves. They were actually built by paid workers.
- The word “sushi” refers to raw fish. Sushi actually refers to seasoned rice.
- Sharks don’t get cancer. They can actually get cancer.
- Bats are blind. They can actually see, but they rely more on echolocation to navigate.
- Bananas grow on trees. They actually grow on large herbs that are commonly mistaken for trees