Most Popular MYTHS in Science

**Krell** · April 6th, 2006, 11:29 PM

http://www.livescience.com/bestimg/?....jpg&cat=myths

.

**multi** · April 7th, 2006, 05:09 AM

Eating a poppy seed bagel mimics opium use
Purveyors of this urban legend call on a popular Seinfeld episode for support. It turns out there's truth behind the comedy: tests suggest ingesting just two poppy seed bagels may produce a positive result for opiates on a drug screen.

:P
learn something new every day

**cheapprick** · April 7th, 2006, 05:13 AM

I've seen that before and I have t ask the same question. Why are they called myths if a few of them are true?

**cjules13** · April 7th, 2006, 05:59 AM

These are cool - some of them I didn't even know were officially debunked.

Some of the more popular ones from the article that I think most people still believe:

Humans use only 10 percent of their brains
Water drains backwards in the Southern Hemisphere due to the Earth's rotation
Animals can predict natural disasters
A penny dropped from the top of a tall building could kill a pedestrian
A dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's
Men think about sex every seven seconds
Lightning never strikes the same place twice
A falling cat will always land on its feet
Yawning is "contagious"
Eating a poppy seed bagel mimics opium use

**Excrement_Cranium** · April 7th, 2006, 06:02 AM

I remember seeing someon talk about the swallowing bubblegum myth. Summed up nicely with if you don't digest it, you shit it out.

**G.D. Marin** · April 23rd, 2006, 06:20 PM

I'm assuming this means 'here goes the remainder on today" for me. Nice find.

**Mels_Smileys45** · April 23rd, 2006, 06:45 PM

Some of these tings I were sure to be facts, hmmmm, need a grant for research

Animals can predict natural disasters

While there is no proof of this, I think it could be true to some degree. Even in humans. Sudden changes in atmospheric pressure can que up uneasy feelings that we now ignore because we have shelter and other means and ways to protect us. Where once it may have been a matter of life and death its no longer so important, so its an instinct that is forgotten. Some animals could still use this sense to get out of the rain so to speak.

While this isnt a natural disaster, it is a way the mind has learned to trigger behaviour. Maybe it could work on a higher level too.

Humans only use 10% of their brain

Looking at the pic, it looks roughly like 10% to me.

A falling cat

No not always, if you thrust a cat into the floor from a short distance, there is no time for them to roll over. These science people are a bit silly. This isnt meant to be taken as a science fact but a general rule. Cats have a great sense of ballance, thats it.

Yawning is "contagious"

Oh come on! Eveyone knows there is no yawning virus going around. But yawn in a room full of people and see how many people it triggers to follow. Its subconscious behaviour and a fact

EDIT: Also I noticed some of these myths are true, if you read a little closer. I wonder did they have to go back and change some of the "myths"

One thing listed as true, "chicken can live with out a head" While I know this is true, they state a case of a chicken living 18 months with no head! How did this fucker eat?

**mfgbypooter** · April 23rd, 2006, 07:43 PM

huh.

So the falling cat with buttered toast on his back perpetual motion engine is only a myth.

I knew it was too good to be true.

*

**.:sp00ky:.** · April 23rd, 2006, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by mfgbypooter

huh.

So the falling cat with buttered toast on his back perpetual motion engine is only a myth.

I knew it was too good to be true.

*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv8TRbwyN3w

**nukehella** · April 23rd, 2006, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by cjules13

These are cool - some of them I didn't even know were officially debunked.

Animals can predict natural disasters

If this was "debunked" it was by a pencilneck who hasn't spent much time outdoors and learned what he knows about it from a book or the tube.

**origin** · April 23rd, 2006, 10:41 PM

an awesome post. after checking that out i'll think twice before swallowing gum again!.

l8

**Theinfamousone** · April 24th, 2006, 05:51 AM

some of those I knew, like the bubble gum one just because it breaks down after an hour of chewing it, I could only imagine what stomach acids would do to it in 7 years..., the penny one I wasn't sure either way, it would be cool to try out though, I bet terminal velocity for a penny is still pretty fast. Men thinking about sex every 7 seconds, well, being a man, I can safely say that is a little bit of an exageration, although maybe when I'm on my honeymoon I might agree.

**cjules13** · April 24th, 2006, 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by nukehella

If this was "debunked" it was by a pencilneck who hasn't spent much time outdoors and learned what he knows about it from a book or the tube.

And you've done the science then?

I would tend to trust livescience website. Definitely respectable... This sounds perfectly reasonable:

Originally Posted by livescience

There is no evidence that animals possess a mysterious sixth-sense allowing them to predict natural disasters. Their keen senses of smell, hearing, and sharp instincts alone are enough to send them scattering for the hillsides during a hurricane or tsunami. And even so, animals often die during natural disasters, so if they do have some sort of sixth sense, it's not worth much.

**nukehella** · April 26th, 2006, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by cjules13

And you've done the science then?

No I haven't "done" the science.I have however spent countless hours in the forest,the mountains,on the ocean and in the air(I'm skipping the desert thing for now).In these venues I have seen a lot of fish,mammals and birds reacting to alot of things that were not apparant to humans or in some cases their intel/weather monitoring equipment until much later.
My comment was in response the the quote"animals can predict natural disasters" that I got from your post.

**Excrement_Cranium** · April 26th, 2006, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by nukehella

No I haven't "done" the science.I have however spent countless hours in the forest,the mountains,on the ocean and in the air(I'm skipping the desert thing for now).In these venues I have seen a lot of fish,mammals and birds reacting to alot of things that were not apparant to humans or in some cases their intel/weather monitoring equipment until much later.
My comment was in response the the quote"animals can predict natural disasters" that I got from your post.

So, in proper terminology, it would be more proper to say that animals sense earlier signals of natural disasters. Low level sound frequencies, humidity and temperature changes etc.

Of course, trying to figure out wether or not fido is fleeing from an earthquake or following the scent of some pussy is up in the air to discern.