The human race has always been intrigued by the unknown. There are always people claiming to believe in strange things, predicting what will happen in the future, and stating that something is true despite no evidence of this being the case.
There are many myths surrounding science, ranging from whether or not Earth is flat or round to how gravity works. These myths have been around for a long time, and only recently have they started to be debunked by new findings. This list of twelve tales shows how wrong some common beliefs can be, yet many still believe them.
1) Calorie restriction is the key to longevity
In the 1930s, University of Iowa physiologist Clive McCay began a study on rats meant to test the effects of fasting on longevity. The study found that the rats whose food intake cut back by one-third didn’t live longer than the control group. What was even more interesting is that the food restriction of the control group caused them to die young, despite their otherwise healthy lifestyle.
2) Vaccines cause autism
Vaccines have been a controversial topic for a long time, but a modern myth is that they cause autism. Vaccines became a topic of controversy because many children worldwide became autistic after being vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. This has made parents afraid to vaccinate their children. Many parents feel the only way to protect their children from possible harm is to avoid vaccines altogether. This myth was banished entirely by the medical community when it was discovered that most children who developed autism after getting the MMR vaccine had genetic mutations in their own mitochondrial DNA.
3) The Earth is flat
The myth that the Earth is flat came from ancient writers, such as Aristotle and the Bible. Aristotle believed the Earth was a sphere but was unsure if there was a “below” or an “above.” The Bible also seemed to support the notion of a spherical earth, but it does not mention any such celestial bodies like stars or planets, which would be visible from a three-dimensional sphere. This was proved as a myth by a Dutch named Gerardus Mercator, who created the famous map of the world called the Mercator Projection. The map depicts both the curvature of the Earth and correctly portrays the size of the continents and oceans.
4) Humans can’t survive in space without oxygen
Humans can’t survive in space without oxygen because we need oxygen to survive and breathe. When humans come out of the atmosphere, we can’t live,e and oxygen don’t exist. This myth was busted when NASA astronaut Leroy Gordon Hoot, Jr. successfully breathed after being in space for eight days, and he returned to Earth and was able to live on his own again.
5) There’s no such thing as a female orgasm
Many years ago, when homosexuality was less accepted in society, women were seen as second-class citizens. Many rules were created to keep the club together to ensure that women remained inferior to men. One of these rules is the idea that women cannot have an orgasm. As false as it is, this idea was created as a way to oppress women and maintain the existing power structure. This myth was proved wrong when the Orgasm Denied Clinic was founded. More than 1,000 women with sexual dysfunctions were examined, and they were cured of the “female orgasm problem,” and their lives were changed forever.
6) Sailing around the world is impossible because of wind patterns
There is a popular misconception that it is impossible to sail worldwide due to a lack of winds. In reality, there are some parts of the world where the trade winds exist, and sailing around the world is possible. Because of wind patterns, the world is too wide to be charted by sailing. This is a popular misconception.
7) We can’t predict earthquakes or tsunamis with any certainty
We can’t predict earthquakes or tsunamis with any certainty, which is why they became a myth. Scientists are still not sure how earthquakes or tsunamis occur, but most agree that they are caused by tectonic plates moving against each other, resulting in sudden slippage of the rocks on the Earth’s surface. Earthquakes happen when the ground suddenly breaks, forming cracks in the Earth.
8 )The Bible was written by God and is 100% historically accurate and free from error; we should not question it
The Bible is 100% historically accurate and free from error; there is no need to question it. The Bible is a holy book with a long history. In the beginning, it was not a collection of books, but rather a single manuscript was written on parchment. It was initially compiled in Hebrew for a Jewish audience to chronicle the history of the Israelites, their ancestors, and their interaction with God. This misconception was proved when Mormons came forward with a translation, the “Judeo-Christian” New Testament. The Bible is considered to be the inspired word of God.
9)Butter Is Bad for You
A diet high in saturated fat can increase a person’s risk of heart disease. Butter is a food that contains a large amount of saturated fat. It is also known as the “white gold” because of its high price and great value. Many types of butter are all solid at room temperature but different in color and flavor.
10) Fidget Spinners Are Dangerous
Fidget spinners are fun to play with, but they can be dangerous. This myth was busted because fidget spinners are made of primarily harmless plastic. Fidget spinners are similar to baby toys that go by “twister.” These toys were banned because they were a risk to children.
11)Coffee Causes Cancer
The myth that coffee causes cancer may be due to publicity surrounding a 1980s study. The study was based on the idea that coffee contains high levels of the chemical acrylamide, which is not found in other foods or beverages. The study found that rats exposed to high levels of acrylamide got tumors. The study was also criticized because it did not look at many other variables that could have affected the study’s outcome.
12)The Majority of Plastic in the Ocean comes from Rivers and Streams.
The majority of plastic in the ocean comes from rivers and streams. Recent studies have shown that most plastic in oceans originates from land-based sources, such as the street, rivers, and coastal areas. The study’s findings were contrary to previous assumptions, which stated that sea currents carried most plastic.
Conclusion: Science Myths We Need to Start Ignoring
Folks tend to think about science as a bunch of facts and truths and not as something ever-changing. The truth is that science is never set in stone, and it’s constantly evolving and changing as we learn more about the world. For example, we used to think that all swans were white, and now we know that some can be black, but most are white.