Science Myths Debunked: 10 "Facts" You Learned as a Kid That Are Wrong

May 6th , 2024 CHIRANJIT MITRA CHIRANJIT MITRA

[{"selector":"#anim-d29bc23f-507f-4801-ac27-abf194839bb4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(9.333266957994354%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3eda1dd3-83d9-45bd-9b9d-2e7c2ea725e8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bcc63085-b6b4-499b-95a1-66166ed4e176","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Remember those science "facts" you learned in school? Some weren't quite true. Get ready to have your mind blown!

1: Chameleons Change Color to Blend In

[{"selector":"#anim-552e207c-b343-4beb-b4a7-79f4079b1e72 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(2.0194788745989007%, -3.2710280373831635%) scale(0.9345794392523364)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2d608b82-f320-4dbc-aa3b-99e1cd5fb397","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6039c24-6939-451c-b183-b5816de5e1bc","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b50d30b-350e-4f54-a710-07e4e9b97783","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ac1d874-6265-4fd6-b2e1-288cfbb71e3a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] The truth is: It's more about mood and temperature! Chameleons change color to signal emotions or regulate their body heat.

2: Ostriches Bury Their Heads in the Sand

[{"selector":"#anim-283ded2c-116b-455f-b3f0-dabc4942a3d6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-14.30525921540427%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c5dd9ff-987d-4874-bfeb-e8f5707e8d72","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9cfcde21-8650-4fcf-88c8-ce5c1c91f098","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2ba4c9b2-7de0-4a24-8c96-23e03e38b725","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b4035d7-846c-4a85-9c37-d36dd0ed7977","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Truth: No way! They dig shallow holes for their nests, but burying their whole head would be impossible.

3: You Can Touch a Baby Bird

[{"selector":"#anim-f239bea7-08f7-4f79-9963-247f15a85b35 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 7.760782355151471e-15%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2fe72da7-3c21-42ce-8816-81e56778414f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c43fa2fe-9ac4-4ee4-8def-c73410dd56e4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2e640ae-e5a6-4025-8f50-e99eba1244dc","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1dd92099-d787-4c30-9994-81f651087d15","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Truth: It might leave the nest! Handling chicks can leave your scent, making parents less likely to care for them.

4: Blood is Blue Inside Your Body

[{"selector":"#anim-0d7dcc01-b4af-411c-8ea3-e4ed20c2012c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cac46c9d-1b3a-4d26-9a3b-2f315ce01daf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df9c5d54-0882-42dd-9352-82a14837bd9a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5427298e-7e09-4367-9dbe-6258a2ce870c","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53e46bc5-8c8e-4ed8-ba6d-7a0351365f07","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Truth: Always red! The light scattering effect makes veins look bluish under the skin.

5: Great Wall of China Visible from Space

[{"selector":"#anim-00f74ea7-d2d0-43bc-8525-c929d42b1afc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-61fc756a-2b7c-4219-ad37-f2aec91df7a8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ead5b025-5cc1-48a7-92b5-0a6316207d44","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d14f6edf-3eee-45e3-a2c6-879e41dddcd0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2c06222-129a-4e69-84eb-b88d38d0bc8a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-39.61544074102131%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Truth: It's not visible to the naked eye. It's long but too narrow. Astronauts have seen it with help.

6: Sugar Makes Kids Hyper

[{"selector":"#anim-8066650d-ecd1-4dd7-9898-75d5e4282641 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-0.0008573509430657778%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e0e4f30-0107-41a2-82f2-7df595b91c9a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5dbbad12-a9b8-4405-86dc-039a9d0c7408","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8b495c2-d3ca-4be6-b50f-423813febab1","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-40f90dda-7cc4-4d30-bca4-9711a2ca98e6","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Truth: There is no direct link! Kids get excited around treats; it's the situation, not just the sugar.

7: Swallowing Gum Stays in You for 7 Years

[{"selector":"#anim-d74c3af6-06e7-44b7-a5c4-bedb5e6c5bab [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-26.992637984900313%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-48ff82b7-635d-4eac-a581-f5605641664b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-628199fa-3dcf-475f-922c-7396abf62c21","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c74f004e-c213-4b1e-a859-4468ebc9f5c7","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3ad85be8-1f6a-4de0-84bd-87fac306fc24","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Truth: Your body digests most things. But don't swallow gum; it's not meant to be food!

8: We Only Use 10% of Our Brain

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9: Bulls Hate the Color Red

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10: Bats are Blind

[{"selector":"#anim-6ecce2fc-8c88-4d38-89ea-ba954cdd3354 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-5.79999752770952%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90d3c842-08ad-4cbc-a1ce-b996585a6ffe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6ee22a2-9a35-4057-9e24-ec68405b7b77","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46bd708c-24ef-421c-bd1b-77ab25a5b51e","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8e960e43-00b2-490c-b333-3ddb6379cd20","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Truth: They CAN see! They use echolocation for super-precise hunting in the dark.