Thanks to modern research, scientists have been able to disprove many popular facts. In this article, you will learn which 25 popular facts are actually false.
Humans Uses Only 10 Percent of Their Brain
Scientists are sure that a person uses his brain completely.
Numerous zones and nerve centers of the brain do not work simultaneously. For example, the center of hearing turns on only when we hear sounds. Even during sleep, our brain works more than 10% of its capacity.
Alcohol Kills Brain Cells
Alcohol can damage the connections between brain cells, but it doesn’t actually kill them. However, studies proved that drinking too much alcohol for a long time can damage the brain.
Antibiotics Kill Viruses
This myth is the most widespread and very dangerous. Antibiotics are effective only in the fight against bacteria.
Everest Is the Highest Mountain
The height of Everest above sea level is 8,848 meters. However, the height of Mauna Kea, which is located in Hawaii, leaves about 10 thousand meters (4,207 meters above sea level and 6 thousand meters below sea level).
There Is No Gravity in Space
Scientists have found that gravity acts even in space. Only there it is much weaker and directed differently.
Evolution Is Needed to Survive
Biologists say that evolution does not welcome change for the sake of change. If the body is fully adapted to life, then it does not need to change.
Sugar Makes Children Hyperactive
In the modern world, there are so many causes of hyperactivity in children, but the “sugar” version is the most popular. Undeniably, foods high in sugar provide a quick burst of energy. However, how a person manages this energy depends solely on his personal characteristics.
Bats are Blind
It’s true that bats have poor eyesight, but they’re not blind. Some species of these animals rely on vision as much as on echolocation.
Lightning Never Strikes in One Place Twice
Modern scientific research has proven that lightning is more likely to strike in the same place as in a new one.
Milk Is Good for Bones
Numerous studies have found no association between drinking more milk and fewer bone fractures.
Penny Dropped From a Tall Building Can Kill Someone
Physicists have proven that the aerodynamics of a penny and air resistance will prevent a coin from falling with enough force to harm a person.
Nerve Cells Do Not Regenerate
In 1988, neuroscientists proved that the human brain, regardless of age, is able not only to establish new connections between neurons, but also to grow new nerve cells.
Hair and Fingernails Continue to Grow After Death
Scientists have proven that for the growth of nails and hair, cells need nutrition that a dead body does not provide.
Gum Take 7 Years to Digest
Chewing gum “obediently” leaves the body for a maximum of a couple of days.
Camels Keep Water in Their Humps
Camel humps store fat, which animals burn when traveling long distances with limited resources. Camels can go a week without drinking water thanks to red blood cells.
Polaris Is the Brightest Star in the Sky
Previously, sailors were really guided only by the light of the North Star, pointing north. However, the brightest of the stars in our sky is Sirius.
Color Red Make Bulls Angry
It doesn’t matter what color the matador’s coat is, the bulls only react to his behavior.
A Worm Regenerate if It Gets Cut In Half
Earthworms can only grow a tail. Only planarian flatworms are capable of complete regeneration.
The 5-Second Rule Doesn’t Work
It only takes a second for bacteria to infect food.
Chameleons Change Color to Blend in With Their Surroundings
Most often, Chameleons change color to communicate with relatives. Also, their color changes depending on mood and temperature.
The Sahara Is the Largest Desert on Earth
The Antarctic Desert is 5.2 million square meters larger than the Sahara.
The Great Wall of China Is the Only Human Creation That Can Be Seen From Space
From the International Space Station, you can also see the Egyptian pyramids and even dammed bridges.
Blue Whale Is the Largest Living Organism
The largest living organism is the mycelium Armillaria ostoyae. It is located in the state of Oregon, consists of a thousand mushroom-shaped fruiting bodies with a total diameter of 4 km.
Sharks Can’t Get Cancer
This myth is spread by people who sell shark cartilage as a cure for cancer. This medicine is ineffective and leads to the needless extermination of sharks.
Humans Have Only Five Senses
In addition to the five empirical senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch), there are four other senses that are rarely mentioned. This is proprioception – the feeling of one’s own body; thermoception – sense of temperature; equilibrioception – a sense of balance and nociception – a sense of pain.