25 Lies That Have Somehow Become Facts

A piece of information repeated often times gains the appearance of being considered as the truth or fact. It has happened in our human history and it continues to happen even in the hyper-connected Internet world. Here are 25 lies that have somehow become facts, which they are not! 

Vikings wore horned helmets

The image of Viking warriors wearing horned helmets is a product of stage costumes and 19th-century imagination. In fact, Viking helmets were typically made of leather or iron and were developed to protect the head during combat. The misconception of horned helmets has probably come from an idealizing presentation of Vikings in art and literature.

The Great Wall of China is visible from space

Even though the Great Wall of China is long and visually striking, it is similar in color to the surrounding landscape and is simply not wide enough to be seen from low orbit. This myth has been debunked by a number of astronauts, who have confirmed that the Great Wall of China is no more visible to the naked eye from space than a highway mark.

Bats are blind

Bats are not blind as many people probably have heard. They have eyes, and they can see but bats usually use their echolocation power to move and to find insects in the darkness. Echolocation allows bats to emit sounds that are higher than human ears can perceive, and these sounds strike different objects and bounce back, bringing information about the location and size of the object.

Humans have five senses

Apart from sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch, humans have many other senses, such as proprioception, which tells us about the position of our body and movement, and nociception, which is the sense of pain. And thermoception, which is the ability to sense. Thus, apart from the well-known five senses, dozens of others are used in each moment of our lives to help us survive.

Einstein failed math

Albert Einstein was a brilliant mathematician from a young age. The notion that he failed math could have arisen from misinterpreting his school records. During his school years, he excelled in mathematics and physics and went on to make a significant contribution to the field of theoretical physics.

Napoleon was short

Napoleon Bonaparte was approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, which was an average height for the time. The misconceptions came from British propaganda during the Napoleonic Wars, which wanted to portray him as a less formidable opponent. Also, the French inch was longer than the British inch, which may have led to the myth.

Goldfish have a three-second memory

Despite the fact that many people keep claiming that they heard it from some professor or zoologist, it is not true. According to research by Culum Brown, a biologist at the Macquarie University in Sydney, goldfish have a memory span of several months. This means they can learn and remember different tasks, like identifying the way out of the maze or remembering some tricks if they were given to them repeatedly.

We only use 10% of our brain

This myth is a general testament to the lack of knowledge of how the brain functions. Studies and experiments that were done using neuroimaging prove that we make use of all parts of the brain but at different times or activities – during the whole day, when we use various parts of our brain for different tasks, that’s why sometimes we think so.

Chameleons change color to blend in with their surroundings

Chameleons change their color, but the main reasons are heating up or cooling down, especially when they become excited or angry, or sometimes to attract males or females. It is just one of the chameleons’ abilities to become invisible, but its main goal is not to make itself unseen.

Sugar causes hyperactivity in children

Sugar does not make children hyperactive. Based on research, there is no significant relationship between sugar and children’s behavior. However, eating sugary foods on particular occasions such as parties or holidays at home may be correlated with other inducers of children’s hyperactivity.

Shaving makes hair grow back thicker

One of the biggest myths is that once you shave body hair, the hair becomes thicker when it grows back again. However, when shaved, hair grows back at a blunt angle, which makes it appear coarser. When it grows later, it becomes thinner, so shaving does not alter the number of hair shafts entering the hair bulb.

Dogs see in black and white

Dogs do see colors just like humans. However, dogs’ perception of colors may differ from that of humans. Dogs’ color vision exists in two ranges, blue and yellow. Unlike humans, who have three cell receivers of color, dogs have fewer color receivers. It is difficult for dogs to differentiate between red and green.

Lightning never strikes the same place twice

Lightning can and often does strike the same place more than once. Skyscrapers and tall structures, as well as lightning rods developed by humans, are frequently hit by lightning twinkles several times. Being high, such structures are easily targeted because they fall in the course of the discharge of the negative charge beneath the clouds.

Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis

Science has not provided any evidence to support the claim that cracking or popping your knuckles causes arthritis. It also sounds a little absurd. The sound heard is as a result of a gas bubble in the joint called synovial fluid collapsing but does not cause any harm to the knuckles.

Swallowed gum remains in your stomach for 7 years

This is not true. Swallowed gum is not digested by the body, but it does not stay in the stomach for seven years. It passes through the digestive system relatively intact and is excreted in the feces within a few days. So, there is nothing to worry about.

You can catch a cold from being cold

The term “cold” refers to a viral infection; therefore, under no circumstances can cold cause the disease. However, it is possible that cold air weakens the immune system, which leads to the weakening of the immunity functions of the human body, resulting in the possibility of being infected by the cold.

Ostriches bury their heads in the sand

Despite this well-known statement, ostriches do not actually do it. What they do is lower their heads to the ground in order to eat and turn their eggs in the nest for the warmth from the sun – for a distance, this causes the illusion that ostriches bury their hands in the sand to run away from enemies. 

The tongue has different zones for each taste

The idea that different parts of the tongue are responsible for different tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, salty) was debunked many years back. Remember that the taste receptors for all basic tastes are distributed throughout the tongue and not distinctive to any particular region. You can taste the same bitterness in all parts of the tongue. 

Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day

Cinco de Mayo, a holiday that commemorates the Mexican army’s triumph over France in the 1862 battle of Puebla, occurred on May 5, 1862. And it is not the same as their Independence Day. Mexico’s Independence Day is on September 16, commemorating the beginning of the fight for sovereignty from Spain that began in 1810.

Eating carrots improves night vision

Carrots are high in beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which is good for vision. The truth is that the consumption of carrots has no direct effect on one’s night vision. The origin of this assumption can be traced back to the British during the second World War. 

The Great Pyramids of Giza were built by slaves

The reality looks different. Many archaeological surveys and evidence suggest that the pyramids were actually built by a workforce of skilled laborers who were paid and well-fed, not by slaves. These workers lived in nearby villages and worked in different shifts to construct the pyramids.  

Swim only after an hour of eating any meal

There is no good scientific evidence that swimming immediately after eating causes cramps and increases the danger of drowning. Instead, what could be a good reason to not swim immediately after meals is that we feel full, and it can be uncomfortable and cause shortness of breath. But, it does not increase the danger of drowning. 

A penny dropping from the Empire State Building can kill someone

Another massively popularized lie that has become a fact! A penny would not travel fast enough to cause significant injury due to the air resistance working against it. The terminal velocity of a penny is not high enough to cause serious harm. So, no, it will not kill anyone. 

The Forbidden City in China has 9,999 rooms

The claim that the Forbidden City consists of 9,999 rooms is more of a statement of tradition than an actual number. The number 9,999 was used symbolically to represent the emperor’s divine status and the notion of near-perfection, just one less than the heavenly 10,000. A closer and more recent count found that there are about 8,707 rooms in reality.

Salem witch trials executed witches by burning

The Salem witch trials in colonial Massachusetts occurred from 1692 to 1693, and one significant fact is that accused witches were not burned at the stake. Most of those condemned guilty of witchcraft were hanged. Only one person, Giles Corey, was hit with rocks until he died because he entered a no plea bargain, while nineteen people were hanged at Gallows Hill.