Don’t believe everything you see

Busted! 12 Hollywood myths that are totally fake

Image: Jake Blucker

Yes, we know it’s hard to believe, but sometimes movies are a little less than truthful. Jokes aside, Hollywood often bends the facts—or completely makes them up—to create the magic we see on the screen. Over time, however, these movie tricks have shaped our perceptions of the world, sometimes without us even realizing it. From cars exploding on impact to silent guns, join us as we set the record straight on some of the most pervasive Hollywood myths.

Image: Dominik Sostmann

Hollywood silencers reduce gunfire to a whisper, but real suppressors only lower the volume by about 20–35 decibels—still as loud as a jackhammer! Even the most advanced modern suppressors can’t make a gun silent.

Image: Marek Studzinski

Cars in movies erupt into massive fireballs, but in reality, car explosions are extremely rare, even in violent crashes. Gasoline burns rather than detonates, meaning it needs very specific conditions to create an explosion.

Image: M.M.

Sci-fi films show laser beams cutting through the air, but real lasers are invisible unless particles scatter the light—as when there is dust, fog, or smoke in the atmosphere.

Image: Chua Bing Quan

Movies depict quicksand as a bottomless death trap, but it’s not nearly that dangerous. Real quicksand is a mix of sand, water, and clay that becomes unstable under pressure. While people can sink up to their waists, the human body is too buoyant to be fully submerged.

Image: César Badilla Miranda

In movies, defibrillators bring people back to life, but this is not the case in real life. Defibrillators correct irregular heart rhythms like ventricular fibrillation, not cardiac arrest.

Image: Ariel

Movies show characters picking locks effortlessly, but real lockpicking is much harder and takes time. Even skilled locksmiths require specialized tools and patience.

Image: Christin Hume

In movies, chloroform knocks victims unconscious in seconds, but in reality, it takes several minutes. Even then, the person may wake up quickly. It’s not a foolproof knockout drug, and improper use can be fatal.

Image: Eyasu Etsub

Action heroes crash through glass unharmed, but real glass shards cause serious injuries. Movie glass, called "sugar glass," is designed to break easily. Real tempered or laminated glass can cause deep cuts and is much harder to break without tools.

Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya

Hollywood hackers break into systems instantly, but real hacking takes time and skill. Movie portrayals of rapid keystrokes and instant access are wildly unrealistic, as real hacking involves a ton of research, coding, and persistence.

Image: Tsvetoslav Hristov

Characters in movies fly backward when shot, but real gunfire doesn’t generate that force. Newton’s Third Law states that for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction. If bullets knocked people down, the shooter would be thrown back with equal force.

Image: Dan Burton

Movies show characters dropping unconscious from a single punch, but real fights don’t work that way. A single punch may stun someone, but it’s unlikely to cause instant unconsciousness unless it hits a critical nerve or causes a concussion.

Image: Drew Beamer

Action heroes crawl through air vents with ease, but real vents aren’t built for that. Most air ducts can’t support a person’s weight. They’re made from thin metal and are too small for comfortable movement.

Deep roots

11 everyday words with indigenous roots

English is a very welcoming language in the sense that it incorporates terms from many other languages from all over the world. And, as it couldn’t be otherwise, Native American languages have lent many of their words and terms to English speakers. Some traveled through Spanish or French before settling into English, and others arrived directly through early contact and trade, helping shape the way we speak today. Did you know about these 11 terms?

The word "canoe" comes from the Taino term canoa, which was first used by Caribbean islanders long before Europeans arrived. Early explorers adopted it to describe the slim, sturdy boats they saw.

Over time, "canoe" became the standard English word for a small paddled craft. Today it still carries that sense of simplicity and closeness to nature.

The word "barbecue" comes from barbacoa, another Taino term for a wooden frame used for cooking meat over fire. Europeans adopted it and applied it to both the method and the gathering itself.

Today, "barbecue" means everything from a backyard cookout to a regional cooking style. Its origins highlight the deep culinary influence of Native Americans in the nation's current culture.

"Skunk" comes from the Algonquian word squnk, which means "urinating fox" (quite a fitting term, indeed). This was an obvious reference to the animal’s strong defensive spray. Early settlers adopted the term directly.

Since English had no better name for the creature, the Native word stuck. Today, the word skunks is also used as playful slang.

The word "moose" originates from Eastern Abenaki, a part of the Algonquian family, where it meant "he strips off bark." Yes, it described the animal’s habit of tearing bark from trees.

The name entered English quickly because settlers relied on Native knowledge of local fauna. The word remains unchanged because of its accuracy and usefulness.

"Raccoon" comes from the Powhatan word arakun, meaning "he scratches with his hands." It described the animal’s clever, humanlike front paws.

Settlers adopted the term because it captured the creature’s behavior beautifully. Today, the raccoon is used as a household symbol of curiosity, not unlike the animal itself.

The term "chipmunk" most probably comes from the Ojibwe word ajidamoo, which means "one who descends trees headfirst." Early English settlers adapted the sound into today’s form.

Though the spelling changed over time, the lively image of a chipmunk racing down a tree face-first stayed.

The word "caribou" comes from the Mi’kmaq term qalipu, which means "snow shoveler," referring to the animal’s habit of digging through snow for food.

French settlers brought the word into English, keeping its descriptive nature. The name still connects the modern animal to the winter landscapes it belongs to.

"Totem" comes from the Ojibwe word ototeman, which means "kinship group." It described symbols representing clans and shared roots.

English adopted it to describe carved poles and symbolic elements. Though broader in modern usage, it still hints at the original sense of community, identity, and heritage.

"Coyote" comes from the Nahuatl word coyōtl, which was used by Indigenous tribes of central Mexico. Spanish speakers adopted it, and English borrowed later.

The word kept its meaning, and it remains one of the most direct links between the English language and Nahuatl.

The tasty avocado’s name traces to the Nahuatl word ahacatl, which refers to the fruit and to a body part as well. Spanish speakers transformed it into aguacate.

Later on, English speakers adapted it to avocado. While the name sounds contemporary and culinary, it has ancient Native roots.

The last Nahuatl word and also the last word on the list comes from the term xocolātl, which describes a bitter cacao drink that was consumed long before Europeans arrived in America. The name traveled from Spanish to English.

Though the product changed dramatically, the word survived. Today, chocolate is a universal symbol of sweetness, with rich and deeply indigenous roots.