Sometimes the stories we trust most about science are often the ones least connected to how the world actually works.
It is amazing how easily we believe things just because we heard them on the playground growing up or saw them in a movie. We love a good story, and sometimes the truth is just too boring to gain traction against a sensationalized myth. These “facts” get passed around at dinner parties and water coolers until they become accepted wisdom, even when they are total hogwash. We are all guilty of repeating them without a second thought, but it is time to stop the cycle of misinformation.
We need to grab a figurative broom and sweep away the cobwebs of falsehoods cluttering our collective knowledge base. Science is about questioning everything, yet we often give a free pass to these comforting or exciting little fibs. Clearing up these misconceptions won’t just make you smarter; it will give you great material for your next trivia night. Here are twelve stubborn science lies that need to be kicked to the curb right now.
Humans Only Use 10% Of Their Brains
This sounds inspiring, like we have untapped superpowers just waiting for the right pill or training to be unlocked. But neurologist Barry Gordon describes this myth as “laughably false,” noting that we use virtually every part of the brain. It is always active to some degree, even when you are just zoning out on the couch watching reality TV.
Modern functional MRI scans show activity throughout the entire organ, not just a tiny fraction. According to Medical News Today, humans use nearly 100% of their brains throughout the day, even while sleeping. You are already firing on all cylinders, folks, so do not wait for a hidden reserve to kick in.
Sugar Rushes Make Kids Hyperactive
Every parent at a birthday party swears by this one as the cake and ice cream come out. However, that bounce-off-the-walls behavior is likely due to the pure excitement of the party environment itself, not the frosting. The dreaded sugar high is often just a placebo effect observed by exhausted moms and dads expecting chaos.
Science has repeatedly failed to find a substantial link between sugar intake and sudden hyperactivity in youngsters. A University of Utah report says that sugar does not affect children’s behavior or cognitive performance. You should probably blame the bouncy castle for the mayhem, not the candy bag.
Lightning Never Strikes The Same Place Twice
This old saying is frequently used to comfort people that a bad event will not happen to them again. In reality, lightning absolutely loves striking the same spots repeatedly, especially if they are tall and pointy structures. It is simply taking the easiest electrical path from the clouds to the ground.
If you are standing near a skyscraper during a bad storm, you should definitely move away rather than relying on this adage. Data from the National Weather Service indicates that the Empire State Building gets hit by lightning an average of about 23 times every single year. That old proverb needs a serious rewrite to reflect reality.
Bats Are Totally Blind
We use the phrase “blind as a bat” constantly, but it is wildly inaccurate regarding the actual animal. Bats have perfectly functional eyes that work well in daylight, just like those of many other mammals. They are not stumbling around, bumping into trees when the sun is up.
The confusion stems from their reliance on sonar for nighttime hunting and navigation. They use sophisticated echolocation to map their surroundings in the dark, which is more about having an additional superpower than a disability. They can see just fine; they just have an extra sense for working the night shift.
Bulls Get Angry When They See Red
We picture the matador waving a bright red cape and the bull seeing red in every sense of the word. The surprising truth is that bulls, like all cattle, are red-green colorblind and cannot even distinguish the color. The bright red fabric is strictly for the human audience in the stands.
So what makes the bull charge so aggressively in the ring if it is not the color? It is the aggressive whipping motion of the cape that provokes the animal to attack, not the particular hue of the fabric. You could wave a neon green flag at them and get the exact same angry reaction.
The Great Wall Of China Is Visible From Space
This is a major point of pride for humanity’s engineering skills, but itis essentially a space-age tall tale. NASA confirms that the Great Wall is generally not visible to the naked eye from low Earth orbit. It is too narrow and tends to blend in perfectly with the surrounding terrain colors.
You might be able to pick it out with a high-powered camera lens if you know exactly where to look and the lighting is perfect. Astronaut Alan Bean of Apollo 12 stated flatly that the only thing you can see from the moon is a beautiful sphere, mostly white, some blue, and patches of yellow. It is a great wall, just not that great.
You Swallow Eight Spiders A Year While Sleeping
This is pure nightmare fuel that keeps many people awake at night, clutching their blankets tight over their mouths. Arachnologists assure us that this statistic is completely made up and highly unlikely in real life. Spiders have zero interest in crawling into a warm, damp cave that is exhaling carbon dioxide at them.
A giant sleeping person is terrifying to a small spider because of the vibrations from breathing and a heartbeat. The chances of a spider fighting its survival instincts to enter your mouth are virtually nonexistent. You can sleep easily knowing your mouth is a spider-free zone.
Shaving Makes Hair Grow Back Thicker
This myth is why many teenagers delay their first shave, fearing an immediate werewolf transformation. Shaving does absolutely nothing to change the thickness, color, or rate of hair growth beneath the skin. It is an optical illusion that has fooled generations.
When you shave, you cut the hair shaft at a blunt angle, leaving a stubbly feel as it emerges. The Mayo Clinic says that shaving has no effect on future hair growth. It just feels coarser to the touch because the soft, tapered tip is gone.
Goldfish Have Only A Three Second Memory
We often mock these little orange swimmers for having the attention span of a gnat. It turns out goldfish are actually surprisingly intelligent and can be trained to perform tasks for food rewards. We owe a massive apology to every fish we won at the county fair in a plastic bag.
They can navigate mazes and have been shown to recognize different faces. The American Museum of Natural History says research into fish cognition has shown that goldfish have memory spans of at least 6 months, not mere seconds. Their memories are actually better than many humans looking for their car keys.
Dogs Only See The World In Black And White
Many dog owners look at their pets with pity, imagining them living in a sad grayscale movie. While dogs do not see the same rich spectrum humans do, they definitely do not see in monochrome. Their world has plenty of color, just a different palette than ours.
Canine eyes lack the specific receptors required to see red and green light. Dogs view the world primarily in shades of yellow, blue, and gray, similar to a human with red-green color blindness. That bright red ball you throw looks dull gray or brownish to Buster, but he still loves it.
A Dropped Penny Can Kill Someone Below
It is a classic movie trope that a coin dropped from a skyscraper turns into a lethal bullet by the time it hits the sidewalk. Physics dictates that a penny is too light and un-aerodynamic to gain enough speed to be deadly. Air resistance slows it down significantly as it falls through the sky.
It certainly would not feel good if it hit you on the head, but you would live to tell the tale. A penny reaches a terminal velocity of only about 30 to 50 miles per hour, which is not fast enough to penetrate a human skull. You would just end up with a nasty bump and one cent richer.
Cracking Your Knuckles Gives You Arthritis
Every mother has scolded their child with this warning when they hear that satisfying pop from the back seat. That noise is actually just gas bubbles bursting in the synovial fluid that lubricates your joints. It sounds destructive, but it is generally harmless behavior.
Several studies have sought a connection over the years, but have come up empty-handed. A famous study by Dr Donald Unger, who cracked the knuckles on his left hand for 60 years but not his right, showed no arthritis in either hand. Crack away if you must, though your coworkers might still hate the sound.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
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