Popular school myths that feed the younger generation

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

“Forget everything you learned in school” - these are the words often greeted with newcomers who immediately received their first position after graduation. Whether school knowledge is really useless is a controversial and controversial question. But certain facts, which from the words of teachers seem to be immutable truths, in fact turn out to be myths that have long been refuted by scientists. For example, Christopher Columbus was not the discoverer of America, and Albert Einstein was never a poor student in mathematics …

In this review, we have collected 9 common myths that people around the world have known since school.

1. Chameleons change color to disguise

The color change occurs due to thermoregulation and for communication with other individuals.

Chameleons are believed to change their color depending on the environment they are in. In many languages, the metaphor "to be a chameleon" has even taken root, that is, to change your views or position depending on the situation, to adapt to those around you. In fact, biologists explain that these reptiles change their skin color by regulating their body temperature, and that such changes are also a sign for other chameleons, one of the ways of communication.

2. Christopher Columbus - discoverer of America

A Scandinavian navigator visited America 400 years before Christopher Columbus.

In 2005, specialists from the University of Michigan conducted a survey, during which they found: 85% of respondents believe that Columbus discovered America, while only 2% of respondents were able to give the correct answer (Columbus could not discover America, since Native Americans already lived there) …

The first European who managed to set foot on the American coast, according to historians, was Life Ericsson, a Scandinavian navigator who made his way from Greenland to Canada approx. 1000 BC

The name of Columbus, as a discoverer, went down in history as a result of the fact that in 1492 he sailed to America, bringing with him diseases that claimed the lives of a large number of indigenous people (according to some sources, up to 90%), and such an event simply could not remain "unnoticed".

3. Newton discovered the law of universal gravitation thanks to an apple that fell on his head

Newton deduced the law of universal gravitation by watching a falling apple.

The story of the apple falling on the head of a scientist is an urban legend, but there is still some truth in it. The apple did not fall on Newton's head, but the reason for reflection was indeed the fruit that fell to the ground. According to the scientist's recollections, he went out with a friend for an afternoon walk and during tea drinking began to talk about why apples fall to the ground, and not fly up or to the side, for example. Subsequently, he formulated the law of universal gravitation.

4. Albert Einstein was a poor student in mathematics and generally did not study well

Albert Einstein studied hard.

Parents or teachers like to “exploit” this story in order to motivate their pupils not to abandon their studies. An example, supposedly, can be taken from Einstein: a genius, although he studied very badly. In fact, Einstein has always been a diligent student.

This myth may be based on the fact that Albert Einstein failed the exams for admission to the Federal Polytechnic School of Zurich, but it should be borne in mind that he took this exam two years before graduating from high school, the exam was passed in French (Einstein at that time owned they feel bad). Even in spite of all this, his math scores were satisfactory, and he "flunked" the language, botany and zoology.

Other myths about Einstein are also popular. Debunking them, it should be said that he learned to read early, and he had no developmental delays.

5. Pluto is no longer considered a planet

Pluto is a dwarf planet.

The dispute about how many planets our planetary system contains has been going on for a long time. Experts from the International Astronomical Union have concluded that Pluto is the ninth planet that revolves around the Sun. Given the "tiny" size of Pluto in comparison with other planets, it is commonly called a "dwarf planet". In 2005, astronomers discovered another dwarf planet, Eridu, which also revolves around the sun.

6. The Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible from Space

The Great Wall of China, like some other man-made objects, is visible from the Earth's orbit.

First, the expression "an object that is visible from space" does not make sense, since what is visible in the Earth's orbit will no longer be visible from another distance, for example, from the Moon. Alan Bean, astronaut of the 12th Apollo mission, told NASA that from the moon, only a beautiful white sphere, glimpses of blue and yellow colors, greenery in some places is visible. No man-made objects are visible from this distance.

Secondly, visibility even from Earth's orbit depends on weather conditions and the astronaut's distance from the planet. For example, during the 2003 expedition, a Chinese astronaut did not see the Great Wall of China due to bad weather conditions. But under favorable conditions, the astronauts said that they saw from space the lights of megacities, the pyramids of Giza and some large bridges.

7. Venous blood is blue

The color of the blood ranges from bright red to dark.

A common misconception is that oxygenated blood is red and unsaturated blood is blue. They point to the blue color of the veins as clear evidence. In fact, the blood is red in both cases: burgundy comes to the heart, and scarlet from the lungs, since it is saturated with oxygen. The fact that the veins appear blue is only a feature of how the human eye perceives colors.

8. A person uses the brain only 10% of its capabilities

In humans, most often all parts of the brain work.

Teachers often cite as an example that people allegedly do not use all the resources of the brain, and offer to think about how humanity would develop if we could use the brain 100%. In fact, this idea is false, although it has been repeatedly reproduced in feature films (for example, "Lucy" with Scarlett Johansson). The neurons of the brain may not all work at the same time, but this does not mean that some parts of your brain are inactive.

Neurologist Barry Gordon of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine states: “We use all parts of our brain, and most of the brain is active all the time. The brain is only 3% of the total body weight, but it consumes 20% of the body's energy."

9. A person should drink 8 glasses of water a day

The amount of water for daily consumption is individual.

When this rule appeared, it is difficult to establish. Possibly after the publication of a FDA document in 1945 that made such recommendations. A similar rule can still be heard from doctors and teachers.

The truth is, you don't need to drink exactly 8 glasses a day. Even if you drink less, your body will get what it needs from other drinks and foods. The main thing is not to lean on "unhealthy" drinks (carbonated water, nectars with sugar, etc.). The rate of water consumption is individual and depends on many factors: