Researchers now use modern testing methods which combine existing technology with current technological advancements to prove tall tales false. Scientific research has proven 11 common myths which the following list shows to be false:
You Only Use 10% of Your Brain
The most popular falsehood about brain usage states that people utilize only 10 percent of their brain capacity. Brain imaging scans (fMRIs) show that we use virtually every part of our brain over a 24-hour period, the brain operates during sleep to perform necessary functions including breathing and memory consolidation.
Goldfish Have a 3-Second Memory
People need to rethink their view of goldfish intelligence because they actually possess more ability than people believe based on their small size. The fish can remember their owners for several months after they train to respond to specific sounds and lights, the testing results show that goldfish can successfully navigate through difficult maze challenges.
Cracking Your Knuckles Causes Arthritis
The popping sound you hear comes from gas bubbles which burst open in the joint fluid to create the noise. Multiple studies which investigated the long-term effects of knuckle cracking have proved that this habit does not cause people to develop arthritis.
Reading in the Dark Ruins Your Eyesight
People who read in dim conditions will experience “eye strain” which results in temporary headaches. The eye fatigue condition occurs when your eye muscles must work harder for focus but it does not result in any eyesight damage.
You Must Wait 30 Minutes to Swim After Eating
The belief established that digestion would create cramps which could lead to drowning accidents in water. The medical community has not provided any evidence which proves this. Swimming becomes possible after lunch consumption although people will experience discomfort when they resume exercise too quickly following a big meal.
Shaving Makes Hair Grow Back Thicker
When a person shaves their hair the trimmed hair will grow back with blunt ends which creates a “prickly” feeling because the hair does not have natural tapered ends. Shaving removes hair from the skin surface while maintaining the original hair thickness and hair color and hair growth speed.
Vitamin C Prevents the Common Cold
Vitamin C becomes essential for immune function yet its high dosage intake during cold onset fails to prevent cold development. People who take vitamin C need to understand it has no power to stop them from becoming infected with a cold.
Humans Only Have Five Senses
Humans possess multiple senses which exist beyond sight and smell and taste and touch and hearing. Humans use their proprioceptive sense to detect body position while they use equilibrioception to sense balance and thermoception to detect temperature.
Chameleons Change Color to Blend In
Chameleons change their body color to thermoregulate their body temperature while they use their color change ability to signal danger to other chameleons and to showcase their breeding territories. The main reason they use this ability helps them hide from predators.
Sugar Makes Kids Hyperactive
Research studies which used “blind” testing methods have confirmed that there exists no direct connection between sugar consumption and hyperactive behavior. People assume their children will become excessively energetic at parties where sugar gets served because they believe that sugar causes hyperactivity.
Deoxygenated Blood is Blue
People believe their blood appears blue because the blue veins show through their skin. Human blood exists in a state of constant red color. Blood appears bright red when it carries oxygen but turns to dark maroon when it loses its oxygen content and blood remains red forever.
