Common misconceptions

12 completely false "facts" everyone believes to be true

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Many of us have grown up thinking that bats are blind, that we can't go swimming right after lunch, that we only have five senses, or that camels store water in their humps. Wait, do you still believe in any of these things? Don't worry! To prevent you from continuing to spread wrong ideas, we have compiled a list of 12 myths that we all believe to be true but are actually false. Do you dare to question your common sense?

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It’s interesting how some ideas remain common sense for centuries without us questioning their veracity. A great example is the notion that we have only five senses, a concept that was developed by Aristotle more than 2,300 years ago and is still taught today from early childhood.

Fortunately, the advancement of science allows us to better understand the complexity and diversity of the world around us. Today, scientists argue that we have far more than just five senses—anywhere from 20 to 30—including thermoception, pain, hormonal sense, and balance, among many others.

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Contrary to what you may have thought all your life, pure water is not a good conductor of electricity. What really conducts electricity in water are its impurities, such as salts and minerals.

For example, tap water, which contains several dissolved ions, is a good conductor. In contrast, distilled water molecules have no free electrons to transfer an electric current. Hence, when handling electrical appliances near water, the real danger doesn't come from the water itself, but from its impurities.

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This is a typical scene in movies: a tough character taking a swig of some spirit before crossing a snow-covered field as an antidote to the cold. Although it is a widespread idea, it is not something you should imitate.

In fact, alcohol causes your body temperature to drop. Alcohol produces a momentary sensation of warmth by dilating blood vessels and directing blood to the surface of the skin, but before long, the body's core temperature drops, and you feel colder. Did you know that?

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No matter what your parents told you as a child, there is no scientific evidence that swimming after eating is dangerous. The assumption that you should wait at least an hour stems from the idea that after we eat, all the blood travels to the stomach and the body is not able to adequately supply the muscles.

As convincing as this may sound, the truth is that our body manages to maintain muscle work while we digest. In fact, some professional swimmers eat immediately before a competition to have enough energy to perform well.

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One of the most widespread myths in neuroscience is that we only use 10% of our brains. In reality, we use it all, even when we are doing nothing.

This misconception probably arose at the end of the 19th century. Since then, scientists have been able to determine that our entire brain is active thanks to modern neuroimaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging. Despite the evidence, popular culture, the media, and even some scholars continue to perpetuate the myth that we only use 10% of our brains. So remember, no matter what you hear out there, your brain is never off; it’s active even when you sleep.

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Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder that occurs when people, usually children or young adults, walk or do other activities while they are still asleep.

Contrary to popular belief, waking a sleepwalker is unlikely to pose a major health risk. Moreover, according to experts, in the event of witnessing someone in such a state, the wise thing to do is to help them back to bed and, if necessary, wake them up.

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Camels can indeed stay hydrated even in the most inhospitable, arid, and hot environments. However, a common misconception is that these animals store water in their humps.

In reality, their humps are filled with fat, which provides them with energy for long distances. So, how do they manage to last up to 10 days without drinking water? The main key lies in their kidneys, which are able to concentrate urine to prevent water loss. In addition, their fur protects them from the ambient heat, preventing perspiration, and the mucosal structure of their nose can retain 66% of the moisture in the air.

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Knuckle cracking is a common habit. You might have noticed that many people do it, often without giving it much thought. For others, that characteristic popping sound raises concerns about its impact on health, such as its possible link to arthritis.

However, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that the manipulation of joints is associated with the development of arthritis. Numerous studies have found no correlation between knuckle cracking and chronic joint inflammation. In fact, this habit is usually harmless and is often simply a way to release tension.

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Setting your phone to airplane mode when boarding a flight seems like common sense. You wouldn't be crazy to think that your phone's signal could interfere with an airplane's navigation systems, potentially causing a disaster. However, the need for airplane mode is largely a myth.

There is actually no evidence that a cell phone has ever interfered with aircraft systems. The real reason airlines don't allow phone communications in the air is to avoid disturbing noises. Let's be honest, the majority of travelers probably prefer the silence anyway.

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Bats hunt in the dark by echolocation, which means they use self-produced sound echoes that bounce off objects to help them navigate. But that doesn't mean that they can't see.

Bats are not blind at all; in fact, they have pretty good vision. Although they can't see as well as humans, they can see better than many mammals —they can distinguish shapes, contrasts, and some colors. So, despite their nocturnal habits and the many popular sayings we like to repeat, bats have pretty good eyesight.

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We're sorry to be the ones to debunk this myth, but it's time you knew that gravity exists everywhere in the universe. The term "zero gravity" is often used to describe the conditions experienced by astronauts in space, but it's a bit misleading, as gravity is never truly zero.

The more correct term to describe the phenomenon experienced by astronauts when they are on the International Space Station, for example, would be "microgravity".

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Fictional characters such as Winnie the Pooh helped fuel this myth. While it is true that it’s common to see bears eating honey, it is the bees and larvae they are really interested in.

While honey alone provides them with some vitamins, minerals, and calories, such as sugar, the insects found inside the beehives give them the protein they need to stay strong.

Athletics and vocabulary

Game on! These 10 idioms and terms come from the world of sports!

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The world of sports is definitely ripe with unique terms and idioms. Not only that, but some of these words eventually make their way into our wider vocabulary. Have you ever stopped to think about how many sports idioms we use in our daily lives? In any case, we've decided to take some time to analyze 10 sports terms and what they truly mean. Maybe, with a bit of luck, we can finally understand what makes these idioms so unique. What we can guarantee, though, is that we’ll have fun in the process. Enjoy!

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We’ll start with one of the most baffling sports terms: Have you ever wondered why a score of 0 in tennis is called "love"? This word has been synonymous with zero since the 1800s, and the reason for this is that the English word "love" sounds phonetically similar to "l’oeuf," which in French means "the egg," a common metaphor for the number zero.

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The story behind the idiom "to have something in the bag," which means certain victory or success in a specific situation, comes from the world of baseball—more specifically, from the New York Giants, a team that played in the Big Apple during the 1910s. This team had a good luck tradition of taking away their ball bag whenever the Giants were in the lead, as this symbolized that victory was metaphorically "in the bag."

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This one is rather self-explanatory: who doesn’t know what a home run is or where it comes from? Regardless, it is perhaps the quintessential sports term. We often describe a particularly successful meeting as "a home run." When you think about it, it makes perfect sense—the feeling of watching a baseball fly out of the stadium is the perfect representation of what great success feels like.

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The phrase "off the clock" is commonly used to describe times when we are not working. It can refer to downtime or be used to remind someone that you are now in your personal time. In a similar sense, the world of swimming uses this phrase as well. Swimmers all around the world describe a swim that is not being timed as off the clock, and for the love of the sport.

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In the world of tennis, an ace is one of the most difficult and satisfying points you can score. This term describes when a player wins a point with only their serve. As you would expect, "acing" something means doing an extremely good job in a particularly stressful situation. For instance, you can ace a job interview, an assignment, or a difficult exam.

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Let’s continue with one of the most adorable sports terms out there. For such a demanding and stressful sport, golf definitely has some of the most rewarding names for a high score. Case in point: Whenever you score one stroke under par, that shot is known as a "birdie." Not only that, it’s followed by an "eagle" (two under par) and the even rarer "albatross" (three under par).

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Sometimes a good score seems like a work of magic, a trick that a particularly skillful magician pulls out of his hat. See where we’re going with this? In soccer, a "hat-trick" is a term used to describe when a single player scores three goals in the same match. This idiom can also be found in other sports, like baseball and cricket, but it is most often associated with the feats of a remarkable soccer player.

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While resistance and stamina are also essential, some boxers make their name in this sport thanks to their speed and cat-like reflexes. These boxers usually live by the simple truth of hitting the other fighter before they hit them, living up to the phrase held as a sacred text by boxers everywhere: "You need to beat your opponent to the punch." As you would expect, this idiom is now synonymous with reaching an objective or goal before someone else.

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In American football, an audible is an often improvised call that changes or replaces the previously planned play. As you would expect, the term "to call an audible" comes from this practice. It describes completely improvising a solution on the spur of the moment, without major certainty about whether the decision will be beneficial or not.

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Horse racing is definitely a short but exciting sport. There’s a reason why the Kentucky Derby is widely known as "the most exciting two minutes in sports." In that sense, the outcome of this fast-paced sport is often decided at the very last minute. These races are commonly characterized as "down to the wire," in reference to the wire stretched across the finish line. Nowadays, those of us who are not fortunate enough to be involved in horse racing still use this expression to describe everyday situations that are resolved at the last second.