FAKE NEWS: We see this label all too often anymore. Rather than bicker with folks about it, we looked up some common misconceptions in science to bring you some real fake news.
There’s a website called Geek Wrapped that has been mythbusting widely accepted myths.
Here are some.
Eating before swimming does not increase the risk of experiencing muscle cramps. However, there is a correlation between alcohol and drowning.
Sugar does not cause children to be hyperactive. Studies show no difference between children who eat sugar versus children with a sugar-free diet.
Alcohol does not warm a person. It increases the sensation of warmth by making blood vessels dilate and stimulating nerve endings in the skin. It can actually lower a body’s temperature.
Twinkies do expire. “Twinkies have a shelf life of approximately 45 days and only remain on the shelf for about 10 days. In any case, they won’t stay fresh and edible for decades.”
Dogs do not sweat by salivating. “They have sweat glands and sweat mainly through their foot pads. However, dogs do regulate their body temperature through panting.”
This one was surprising to us: “There is no such thing as an ‘alpha’ in a wolf pack. Wolf packs operate like human families; there is no sense of rank, parents are in charge and none are overthrowing elders.”
And another surprise: Lightning strikes twice.
“The idea that lightning never strikes the same place twice is one of the best-known superstitions. Lightning strikes the Empire State Building in New York City about 100 times a year.”
We’ve all heard about life expectancy in the Middle Ages. Well, research has shown it wasn’t as low as people think. The common misconception is that 30 was the life expectancy, but the researchers with Geek Wrapped found that the average was skewed by high infant mortality. “People often lived to 65 or older.”
Sunshine isn’t yellow, sunflowers point in one fixed direction all day long, ostriches don’t stick their heads in the sand and meteorites are often cold when they land on earth. How about that?
