There are lots of “facts” floating around that we’ve believed for years. But here’s the thing: many of these common beliefs are actually myths. They might sound right, but they’re totally wrong! In this article, I will bust 33 myths that many people think are true.
You Eat Eight Spiders a Year While Sleeping
Spiders aren’t interested in crawling into your mouth. They avoid humans when possible. You’re very unlikely to eat any spiders in your sleep.
Shaved Hair Grows Back Thicker
Shaving doesn’t change how your hair grows. It might feel thicker because you’re feeling the blunt end of the hair, not the tapered end. But the hair itself isn’t actually thicker or darker after shaving.
Lightning Never Strikes the Same Place Twice
Lightning can and does hit the same spot more than once. Tall buildings and trees often get struck multiple times. The Empire State Building gets hit about 25 times a year!
Alcohol Warms You Up
Drinking alcohol might make you feel warm, but it actually lowers your body temperature. It moves blood to your skin, making you feel warm while your core gets colder. This can be dangerous in cold weather.
You Should Pee on a Jellyfish Sting
This popular beach advice is more myth than fact. Peeing on a jellyfish sting doesn’t help and might make it worse. It’s better to rinse the sting with seawater and remove any remaining tentacles carefully.
Humans Have Tiny Bugs Living in Their Eyelashes
While there are tiny mites that live on human skin, they’re not actually in your eyelashes. These mites, called Demodex, live in hair follicles and oil glands on your face. They’re usually harmless and most people never notice them.
Napoleon Was Short
Napoleon Bonaparte wasn’t actually that short. He was about 5’7″, which was average for men at that time. The myth started because of confusion between French and English measuring systems and some British propaganda.
Ostriches Bury Their Heads in Sand
Ostriches don’t stick their heads in the sand when scared. This myth probably started because they dig holes for their eggs. When checking the eggs, it might look like their heads are in the sand. But they don’t hide this way.
You Should Starve a Fever and Feed a Cold
This old saying doesn’t have any scientific backing. Whether you have a cold or a fever, your body needs good nutrition to fight off the illness. Eat if you’re hungry, and always stay hydrated when you’re sick.
Humans Evolved from Monkeys
We didn’t evolve from the monkeys we see today. Humans and monkeys share a common ancestor from millions of years ago. We’re cousins, not descendants. Our closest living relatives are actually chimpanzees and bonobos.
You Need to Wait 24 Hours to Report a Missing Person
This is a dangerous myth seen in TV shows. In real life, you don’t have to wait to report someone missing. It’s better to tell the police right away if you’re worried about someone who is missing.
Humans Have Five Senses
We actually have way more than five senses. Besides sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, we can sense things like balance, temperature, and time passing. Some scientists say we might have up to 21 senses.
Goldfish Have a Three-Second Memory
Goldfish are smarter than you think. They can remember things for months, not just seconds. They can learn tricks, recognize shapes, and even tell time in a way. Don’t underestimate these little swimmers!
You Lose Most Heat Through Your Head
This myth probably started because of an old military study. But your head isn’t special – you lose heat evenly through all exposed skin. Wearing a hat is good when it’s cold, but so is covering any other bare skin.
Dogs See in Black and White
Dogs don’t see the world in just black and white. They can see colors, just not as many as humans. Their world is mostly yellows, blues, and grays. They might not see red, but their world isn’t colorless.
Bats Are Blind
The saying “blind as a bat” isn’t true at all. Bats can see pretty well. Some use echolocation to find food, but their eyes work fine. Many fruit bats have excellent vision, even better than humans at night.
Sugar Makes Kids Hyper
Many parents think sugar causes kids to bounce off the walls. But studies show sugar doesn’t actually make kids hyperactive. The excitement of getting a treat might make them more energetic, but it’s not the sugar itself.
We Only Use 10% of Our Brains
This popular myth is totally false. We actually use all of our brains, just not all at once. Different parts work for different tasks. Our brains are always active, even when we’re sleeping.
Cracking Knuckles Causes Arthritis
Don’t worry about popping your fingers. There’s no proof that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis. The sound is just gas bubbles popping in the fluid around your joints. It might annoy others, but it won’t hurt your hands.
The Great Wall of China Is Visible from Space
Astronauts say they can’t see the Great Wall from space with their naked eyes. It’s too thin and blends in with the landscape. You can see it in photos taken from space, but not just by looking out a spaceship window.
Vikings Wore Horned Helmets
Despite what you see in movies, Vikings didn’t wear horns on their helmets. This idea came from artists in the 1800s. Real Viking helmets were simple and horn-free, and horns would have been impractical in battle.
You Shouldn’t Wake a Sleepwalker
It’s actually okay to wake a sleepwalker. It might confuse them, but it won’t hurt them. In fact, it’s often safer to gently awaken and guide them back to bed. Letting them wander could be more dangerous.
Caffeine Dehydrates You
While caffeine is a mild diuretic (makes you pee), the liquid in coffee or tea makes up for it. You don’t lose more water than you take in. Caffeinated drinks can count towards your daily fluid intake.
Lightning Never Strikes the Ocean
Lightning definitely strikes the ocean. In fact, it happens a lot. That’s why it’s dangerous to swim during a thunderstorm. The electricity can spread out in the water, which is why you should get out of the water if you hear thunder.
Chameleons Change Color to Blend In
While chameleons do change color, it’s not mainly for camouflage. They change colors to regulate body temperature, communicate with other chameleons, and show their mood. Blending in is a bonus, not the main reason.
Humans and Dinosaurs Lived at the Same Time
Despite what some movies show, humans and dinosaurs never coexisted. Dinosaurs went extinct about 65 million years ago. Humans didn’t show up until much later. We’ve never seen living dinosaurs, only their fossils.
Your Blood Is Blue Inside Your Body
All your blood is red, even inside your body. It looks blue through your skin because of how light travels through your skin and veins. When you see it outside your body, it’s always red, whether it’s been exposed to oxygen or not.
You Need to Wait to Swim After Eating
Your parents might have told you to wait an hour after eating before swimming. But there’s no real danger in swimming on a full stomach. You might get a small cramp, but you won’t drown because of it.
The Toilet Flushes the Opposite Way in the Southern Hemisphere
The direction in which water spins in your toilet has nothing to do with which hemisphere you’re in. It’s all about the shape of the bowl and the way the water jets are pointed. The Earth’s rotation doesn’t affect such small amounts of water.
Humans Only Have Five Tastes
We can taste more than just sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Scientists have found that we can also taste things like fat and maybe even calcium. Our tongues are more complex than we thought!
Bulls Hate the Color Red
Bulls are colorblind to red. They charge at bullfighters because of the movement of the cape, not its color. You could use a blue or green cape and get the same reaction. It’s the motion that excites them.
Different Parts of Your Tongue Taste Different Flavors
The tongue map showing different taste zones is wrong. All parts of your tongue can sense all tastes. Some areas might be a bit more sensitive, but there aren’t specific spots for sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.
Your Hair and Nails Keep Growing After You Die
This creepy idea isn’t accurate. After death, the body dehydrates, which can make skin shrink. This makes hair and nails look longer, but they’re not actually growing. Growth needs energy, which stops when you die.
12 Surprising Body Changes When You Become An Early Riser
12 Surprising Body Changes When You Become An Early Riser
15 Food You Should Never Reheat In A Microwave
15 Food You Should Never Reheat In A Microwave
19 Questions Christians Find Challenging To Address
