Ten SCiENCE "FACTS" that are Widely Believed...but WRONG!

Quick Overview

Many commonly held beliefs about science are actually misconceptions, including that lightning never strikes the same place twice, toilets flush differently in hemispheres, bulls are enraged by red, bats are blind, goldfish have short memories, humans only use 10% of their brain, we only have five senses, sugar makes kids hyperactive, cracking knuckles causes arthritis, and shaving hair makes it grow thicker. These myths persist due to misinterpretations, cultural associations, and confirmation bias, despite scientific evidence proving them false.

Key Points: Lightning frequently strikes the same tall structures multiple times, disproving the common saying. Toilet flush direction is determined by the toilet's design, not the Earth's rotation or the Coriolis effect. Bulls are red-green colorblind and react to the motion of a bullfighter's cape, not its red color. Bats can see well, often better than humans at night, in addition to using echolocation. Goldfish possess memory spans of several months, capable of learning and remembering complex tasks. Humans utilize 100% of their brain, with different regions active at different times, not just 10%. Humans have at least nine senses, including balance, body awareness, temperature, pain, and internal body states, beyond the traditional five.

Context: Many scientific "facts" widely accepted as common knowledge are, in reality, persistent misconceptions. These beliefs often stem from historical misunderstandings, misinterpretations of scientific concepts, cultural narratives, or even convenient assumptions. Despite modern scientific advancements and evidence, these pseudo-facts continue to circulate through popular culture, word-of-mouth, and sometimes even outdated educational materials, making them difficult to dislodge from public consciousness.

Detailed Analysis

This video debunks ten widespread science misconceptions, explaining the scientific truth behind each and exploring why these myths continue to be believed. Firstly, the idea that lightning never strikes the same place twice is false; lightning frequently hits tall structures like the Empire State Building multiple times annually, as it seeks the path of least resistance. This myth originated metaphorically but became literal over time. Secondly, toilets do not flush differently in different hemispheres due to the Coriolis effect; their swirl direction is determined by the toilet's design, as the Coriolis effect is too weak for small-scale phenomena. This misconception is perpetuated by pop culture and the plausible but incorrect extension of large-scale weather phenomena to small-scale water movement. Thirdly, bulls are not enraged by the color red; they are red-green colorblind and react to the motion of the cape, which is traditionally red to hide bloodstains. This myth is rooted in the cultural association of red with anger and the dramatic narrative of bullfighting. Fourthly, the saying "blind as a bat" is inaccurate; bats can see quite well, often better than humans at night, and use echolocation as an additional navigation tool. This myth likely arose from their nocturnal, erratic flight patterns and small eyes, reinforced by folklore. Fifthly, goldfish do not have a 3-second memory; they can remember things for months and be trained to navigate mazes and recognize shapes. This myth may have started as a joke or misinterpretation, perpetuated by the convenience of believing fish don't suffer in small bowls. Sixthly, humans use 100% of their brain, not just 10%; brain scans show activity throughout the brain, even during rest, and the brain consumes 20% of the body's energy. This appealing idea of untapped potential was popularized by self-help and Hollywood, misinterpreting that not all neurons fire simultaneously. Seventhly, humans have more than five senses, including proprioception (body awareness), thermoception (temperature), nociception (pain), and interoception (internal body states). The five-sense idea dates back to Aristotle and persists due to traditional teaching. Eighthly, sugar does not make kids hyperactive; scientific trials show no significant behavioral difference between children given sugar and those given a placebo. This myth gained traction from unproven hypotheses in the 1970s and is reinforced by parental confirmation bias. Ninthly, cracking knuckles does not cause arthritis; studies show no link between habitual knuckle cracking and joint problems. The popping sound is from gas bubbles in joint fluid, not bone damage. This myth is intuitively plausible and was used as a scare tactic. Finally, shaving hair does not make it grow back thicker or faster; it only creates a blunt tip that can feel stiffer or appear darker initially. This misconception is due to visual perception and the natural thickening of hair during puberty, which is confused with the act of shaving.