Prepare Yourself!

What follows is a list of things that people believe despite the evidence.

Starting with the big one: intense investigation confirms that full moons do not correlate to increased madness, births, traffic accidents, or anything else. It is the perfect example of illusory correlation. Centuries of the myth being repeated have cemented this fallacy as truth. People will almost fight you over this one.

Not directly related, but think of how we look at the tides. The earth turns into a bulge, and water reacts accordingly. Yet most people have a hugely oversimplified idea of what tides are, correlated to the Moon. Even saying ‘the sun rose’ is a means to confuse language. It’s pervasive, and we don’t give it a second thought.

The “fact” that menstrual cycles synchronize cannot be substantiated. It’s so pervasive that it’s meaningless to argue with someone who believes it. Science says “no.”

Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis. Completely untrue.

Einstein failed math. He didn’t.

Acne is almost entirely genetic, not a result of environmental factors.

Vikings did not wear horned helmets.

The world is not 6,000 years old.

Edison didn’t invent the light bulb. He made one of the first practical ones.

For the most part, sugar does not make kids hyperactive.

The Pythagorean Theorem was used centuries before Pythagoras. He popularized it with the Greeks.

Napoleon was not short. Due to conversion errors, the myth persists. He was of average height for his time and place.

Stretching before general exercise is not always beneficial. Often, it’s harmful. Repeated studies have proven this. But you can’t convince people because that’s how they were taught.

Iron maidens were never used as medieval torture devices. You can look it up.

Shaving does not make hair grow back thicker. It’s perception. The tips of the regrowing hair are darker.

Bagpipes did not originate in Scotland.

Were there three wise men mentioned in the Bible? Eastern tradition sets the number at 12. Western tradition indicates three. The Bible never states how many.

How many of each animal did Noah take on the proverbial ark? It is not two, a fact that is clearly spelled out in Genesis.

Vaccines don’t cause autism. The flu shot does not give you the flu.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Adam and Eve ate an apple. It was some kind of fruit or plant.

Generally speaking, it’s not always harmful to touch baby birds. Or to move them back to their nest.

Yellowstone isn’t overdue for a massive supervolcano eruption.

Waking a sleepwalker results in much less harm to them than letting them continue walking. Some of the belief stems from centuries ago when it was believed that one’s soul departed while sleeping.

Bats are not blind.

As a whole, we’re less violent, more educated, and healthier than we’ve been throughout human history.

The Pilgrims didn’t land at Plymouth. Instead, they landed at Provincetown. Plymouth came weeks later.

Delilah didn’t cut Samson’s hair, no matter which version of the Bible you’re reading.

Bulls are colorblind to red.

Salted water does not make boiling water on the stove more efficient.

There is no legitimate reason to drink eight glasses of water.

Generally speaking, caffeine does not stunt one’s growth.

Your mouth isn’t divided into different regions for each type of taste.

That story about Ben Franklin wanting a turkey on the national seal? It’s not true. He wanted Moses. You can look it up.

The word “Xmas” has been around for 1,000 years and is based on language. Not the perversion of Christmas as so many people still insist on.

Ninjas didn’t wear black. It’s a myth. They wore comfortable clothes and wanted to blend in. Another one you’ll argue about but still a myth perpetuated needlessly.

Peanut butter was eaten by the Aztecs centuries before it was “invented” here.

Microwaving can reduce nutritional value – but much less than most other conventional ways to cook. It’s a myth that never dies.

The term 420 was invented by a group of high school kids in 1971 in California. It was literally the time they went to smoke.

How many witches were burned at the stake during the Salem Witch Trials? Zero.

American Gothic, the famous painting, isn’t supposed to be an artwork of a couple. Rather, it is that of a father and daughter.

The Jonestown Massacre didn’t use Kook-Aid. They used a competitor’s product, Flavor-Aid, instead. So much for “drinking the Kool-Aid.”

Walgreen owes much of its success to Prohibition. Alcohol was commonly prescribed. By the way, Prohibition did not outlaw the consumption of alcohol. Look it up.

Astrology is no better than random guessing. It’s all nonsense.

Tang wasn’t invented for astronauts.

Lemmings don’t run off cliffs. The misconception is older than a Disney documentary that popularized the falsehood.

Alpha wolves in packs? Not true. They function more like families.

Sharks do get cancer. This myth was furthered by a book intended to sell supplements.

Birds are therapod dinosaurs. We use the word “dinosaur” to mean “non-avian” dinosaurs. Humans and non-avian dinosaurs never coexisted. Petroleum and fossil fuels are made almost entirely of plant matter.

Most diamonds are not formed from highly compressed coal. Most diamonds that have been dated formed before coal, and usually formed 80+ miles before the surface.

This is one that drives me nuts: an increase in gross income will NEVER result in lower income due to a high tax bracket. So few people understand what a marginal tax rate is – or that they are only taxed higher for anything above the tax bracket threshold, rather than the total amount. It’s so pervasive that it’s useless to argue with people who say things like, “I don’t want overtime. The government will take more of it and I’ll end up with a smaller paycheck.” It does NOT work that way. Good luck trying to convince people.

Urine is not sterile. Again, this myth is so pervasive that it’s pointless to argue with someone who states it as fact.

Using Q-Tips in your ears has no associated medical benefits. Seriously.

Vitamin C has ZERO effect when taken after a cold has started.

A dog’s mouth has about as much bacteria as a human’s mouth.

Spicy food doesn’t have much of an effect on getting peptic ulcers. It was a major discovery to learn that ulcers are caused by bacteria rather than stress.

There isn’t much variation between people’s resting metabolic rate. Despite what you constantly hear.

Happy learning!

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