Don’t go around poking bears

Did you know that these animal facts are not true?

Certain animal facts are just a given: Everyone knows that bats are blind, bulls hate the color red, and that touching a toad will give you warts. But are these things really true, or are they just wives' tales that have been passed down through generations? Let’s have a look at some of these myths and see if they have some truth in them, or if they are just a folkloric invention.

The first misconception here is the meaning of ‘hibernation’ —a state where an animal drastically lowers its body temperature, appearing lifeless, and sleeps through the cold season. While most bears are less active through the Winter, they don’t hibernate. They enter a state called ‘torpor’, where they reduce their temperature and drop their heart rate, but they are lethargic, not sleeping. They will react to external stimuli, meaning you can still come across these furry fellows during a winter hike.

In popular tradition, the color red is associated with anger, but this has nothing to do with bulls, as they are partially colorblind and, as such, unable to see red. This common misconception stems from bullfighting, where the matador uses a brightly colored—usually red—muleta (a cloth hanging from a stick) to provoke the bull. What angers the bull is the whipping of the muleta, not its color. Why do they use a red cloth? To disguise blood spatters.

"If you don’t wash your hair, you will catch lice.": You must have heard this old wives’ tale. Another popular belief claims that lice actually prefer clean heads, as they can move more freely in a clean scalp. As a matter of fact, lice don't care about your personal hygiene, nor about your hair type; they just want a warm scalp and blood to feed on. Your chances of catching pediculosis are tied to close contact with an infested person, nothing else.

Another myth, most likely popularized by the anti-bat lobby. A bat’s vision can vary according to their species, but no bat is 100% blind, though some do better in low-light conditions. Some of them actually have excellent eyesight! The myth of the blind bat comes from their use of echolocation for hunting in the dark, and their sometimes erratic movements when following insects.

This one is a partial truth: dogs can’t see the same color spectrum as humans, but this doesn’t mean their world is black and white. While the human eye has three color-detecting cone cells, dogs have only two, which would make them ‘partially colorblind’. They are unable to distinguish shades of red, green, and orange, which they perceive as yellowish-brown or grayish, but they see other colors, such as blue and yellow.

Toads might not have the loveliest appearance, but they have nothing to do with any wart you might have. Warts in humans are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted from person to person. What looks like warts on a toad’s skin are actually glands, used to secrete a toxin that deters predators. This toxin might irritate human skin, so remember to wash your hands if you touch a toad.

Penguins have the reputation of being one of the most faithful animals in the world, even when their partner dies. While some penguin species have a high fidelity rate compared to other animals, none of them mate for life. Some penguin species are known to form long-term bonds with their mates, while others are serial monogamists, but they can actually change partners if they have an unsuccessful mating season.

Ostriches and their alleged head-burying behavior have become a symbol of ignoring one’s problems, but this is based on a myth. This confusion, which some said dates back to Ancient Rome, stems from the ostrich’s shallow nests. When they turn the eggs with their beak, it might look like they are burying their heads in the ground from a distance. When an ostrich feels threatened, they either run away or completely flatten their body to the ground.

Most birds have a weaker sense of smell compared with other animals, so they rely on their vision and hearing to recognize their young. In addition to this, they tend to have strong parental instincts, so human touch and scent are not enough to make them reject their offspring. But, as a rule of thumb, it is always advisable to leave baby birds alone, unless they are injured or in immediate danger.

Camels are able to go for weeks without water, and sometimes even months. This has led to the belief that they store water somewhere in their bodies, mainly in their hump, but this is mainly a myth. What they do store in the hump is fat, which works as an energy reserve when food is scarce, and that can, in certain situations, be metabolized into water. Storing fat in their hump instead of in the rest of their bodies also allows them to keep cool in warmer climates.

Catchy taglines for the creative mind

I’m lovin’ it: 10 top brand slogans of all time

Image: Jon Tyson

Creating a memorable message, one that allows immediate identification of a brand with its consumers, is no easy task. It requires a good dose of creativity and a perfect understanding of what makes us human. Throughout history, some companies have been able to create truly memorable taglines that have managed to last years, even decades. The stories behind these creations are truly fascinating. Continue reading to discover the behind-the-scenes of 10 of the most famous brand slogans ever.

Image: Tuur Tisseghem

The mythical advertising tagline developed by Apple after Steve Jobs' return to the company, Think different, was launched in 1997 through a famous television commercial called "Here's to the crazy ones". The one-minute ad featured black-and-white footage of 17 iconic 20th-century personalities such as Albert Einstein, John Lennon, and Martin Luther King, among others.

The phrase, the brainchild of Craig Tanimoto, an advertising agency’s art director, was a reversion of Think, a slogan popularized in the early 20th century by IBM, Apple's main competitor. The motto was so successful that the company continued to use it for five more years.

Image: Pawel Czerwinski

With more than 135 years of history, Coca-Cola is one of the longest-running companies in the U.S. and one of the most beloved by consumers. Throughout its many years on American shelves, the brand has had numerous famous slogans, such as It's the Real Thing, Catch the Wave, and Taste the Feeling, among many others.

But perhaps the most iconic one is Open Happiness, a slogan launched on the reality television series American Idol in 2009. You probably still remember the catchy jingle! For many years, the Coca-Cola brand used happiness as the axis of its advertising campaigns, managing to captivate audiences around the world. In this case, the simplicity of Open Happiness manages to capture not only the essence of the brand but also the philosophy inherent in the American dream.

Image: Polina Tankilevitch

Launched during the first years of the new millennium, I'm Lovin' It was the first advertising campaign developed globally by McDonald's, becoming the company's most famous tagline worldwide. It was created by Heye & Partner, a German advertising agency that competed with 14 other major global advertising companies.

The slogan was accompanied by a multi-million dollar campaign and a jingle performed by Justin Timberlake that became instantly popular. It is a hip hop song that sought to attract the attention of the younger generation and the lyrics have a peculiarity: at no time does it mention the brand. Thanks to an emotional catchphrase and a memorable tune, the motto managed to convey the inspiring, passionate, and fun spirit of the fast food giant.

Image: Subtle Cinematics

After some difficult financial years and in order to improve the brand's image, in 2003 Panasonic launched a campaign led by the slogan Ideas For Life. The objective was to reflect the company's commitment to providing products and services based on the value of ideas.

In a short time, the brand managed to convey that, through its products, it could improve people's lives and contribute to the progress of society. Panasonic continued to use this slogan for 10 more years until it was replaced by A Better Life, A Better World in 2013.

Image: Behrouz Alimardani

The much-advertised slogan Because you're worth it has been part of L'Oréal's brand identity since 1972. This iconic tagline was created by Ilon Specht, a 23-year-old copywriter who had just started working at the McCann Erickson advertising agency. Her mission was to come up with a catchphrase that would encourage the ladies to pay the extra 10 cents that L'Oréal's Preference hair dye was worth over its competitors.

Specht opted to leave behind the typical industry discourse that singled the female gender as the weaker sex and instead focused on celebrating women and their attributes. Since then, from Jane Fonda to Claudia Schiffer, from Brigitte Bardot to Penélope Cruz, a long parade of empowered women in film, music, and fashion have delivered the proud motto in multiple ad campaigns.

Image: Abi Schreider

You are probably familiar with this one, but did you know this slogan has been around since the 1950s? Believe it or not, the first time the public could hear or read this mythical phrase was in 1957. It was written by Donald Gilles of JWT London and to this day it is the signature tagline of the famous chocolate bar we all love and adore.

This slogan, as simple as it is effective, conveys the feeling of being able to escape from chaos just by taking a bite of the delicious treat. The text referred to the 11 AM recess characteristic of English factories. Over time, the meaning of the phrase expanded and today taking a break is immediately associated with KitKat.

Image: Jeff Siepman

The statement is probably true of any potato chip, but you have to hand it to Lay's, it was the first brand to claim that they are truly addictive. And no wonder. The company, founded in Nashville in 1932, was a pioneer in the world of advertising: it was the first snack manufacturer to advertise on television.

The famous Betcha can't eat just one slogan was introduced into the homes of all Americans in the early 1960s and is to this day Lay's most popular campaign. The company hired actor Bert Lahr to star in a series of spots that have remained in the memories of both adults and children for generations.

Image: AKuptsova

"Priceless" is the concept that now sums up the innovative idea that more than a quarter of a century ago revolutionized the history of advertising. Launched in 1997 during the World Series, a commercial featuring things that were "priceless," such as the time shared between a father and son, ended with the punchline There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard.

Since then, the phrase has been replicated in countless TV, radio, and print ads around the world. Today it is one of the most recognizable brand slogans because it managed to overcome the barrier of time and fashion trends thanks to its freshness and underlying emotionality.

Image: Shubham Mittal

The mythical sports brand Nike launched its famous motto Just do it in 1988, turning it into an emblem for several generations. For many, it is considered one of the best slogans of the 20th century, partly due to its great motivational impact.

This iconic phrase was coined by publicist Dan Wieden, inspired by a quote from the famous criminal Gary Mark Gilmore. According to reports, Gilmore said after being sentenced to death in the 1970s: "Let's do it". Wieden gave it a twist and the expression Just do it would end up identifying Nike with the spirit of effort and self-improvement of athletes.

Image: Karsten Winegeart

Another of the world's most iconic sports brands with a slogan that has transcended the confines of advertising to become an inspirational catchphrase is Adidas. The German company developed the successful tagline Impossible is nothing in 2004, inspired by a phrase uttered by boxing legend and one of the great flag-bearers of Adidas, Muhammad Ali, in a speech from the 1970s.

In fact, Ali is one of the 22 athletes featured in the slogan launch campaign. In this first spot, he is seen running alongside Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Ian Thorpe, and Haile Gebrselassie. Through this message, the brand manages to convey its philosophy of passion to achieve goals, even those that seem unattainable.