Sometimes Google is asked about really intriguing things. We are indeed very curious beings. But sometimes our curiosity goes so far that even the search giant is powerless.
Admigram.com has gathered together the most incredible questions that people often ask Google, and asked scientists to comment on these myths. Most of the answers will definitely astonish anyone.
The most common myths people ask Google about
Chicken can live without a head — Almost true
Indeed, a couple of minutes after a chicken’s head is chopped off, it continues to “live.” It can run around and even attempt to fly. This is because sometimes, when losing its head, the chicken retains the stem part of its brain that is responsible for most reflexes.
A confirmed fact is that one robust individual lived without a head for a year and a half. So now it’s clear where the expression “headless chicken” comes from — the head of this bird is not necessary for life.
The Coriolis effect causes water to drain in a different direction in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere — False
The Earth’s rotation speed is not enough to influence the direction of water flow, not even in the smallest sink. As you can observe for yourself, the movement and shape of the water vortex in the sink depend solely on its “relief” features, and not on global reasons.
Humans only use 10% of their brains — False
This misconception has been circulating for almost a century. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, it’s not true. Magnetic resonance imaging data vividly demonstrate that most of the cerebral cortex is actively involved in human life. Our brain works even when we sleep. So, there’s no need to believe in the promises of false prophets that in the future, humans will be able to use their brains fully and happiness will come to everyone immediately.
There’s no gravity in space — False
This misconception is probably due to the popular expressions “zero gravity” and “weightlessness.” Gravity exists everywhere. The force of attraction affects all people equally. Astronauts in orbit float in weightlessness only because they are constantly falling together with their spacecraft towards Earth.
They just do this in a horizontal plane. Gravity decreases with distance, but it never disappears completely. And by the way, the misconception that space is a vacuum is also untrue. In reality, interstellar space is filled with various atoms and particles; the distance between them is just slightly larger than on Earth.
Eating a poppy seed bun is almost the same as smoking opium — Almost true
Strangely enough, there is some truth in this statement. Although a poppy seed bun won’t give you the euphoric moments of tranquility that opium smokers experience, you could indeed run into problems with drug testing. If, after eating two poppy seed buns, a person’s blood is tested for opiates after a certain period of time, the opiate test is likely to be positive.
A coin dropped from a skyscraper will kill a person — False
A regular coin is not the most aerodynamically perfect weapon. Due to wind and air resistance, which would be significant due to its unfavorable shape, a coin, even when dropped from the tallest skyscraper, wouldn’t be able to cause any significant harm to a person.
Adult brain cell growth stops — False
While a human brain is most actively growing and undergoing major developmental stages in early childhood, cell division doesn’t stop in adults. Research shows that neurons continue to grow and change throughout a person’s life, up until death. So, there’s a chance for everyone to become smarter over time.
Chicken soup can cure a cold — Almost true
Of course, chicken soup can’t cure a cold by itself. However, scientists do support adults who make their sick children consume chicken soup. Studies show that it contains substances with anti-inflammatory properties that can help halt the spread of the disease. So, whatever you might think, your mom was right.
Lightning never strikes the same place twice — Very dangerous falsehood
In reality, it’s quite the opposite. Lightning actually has preferences. Everyone knows that lightning strikes higher objects more frequently. So, taking cover from lightning under a tree that has just been struck by lightning is not a good idea. For instance, in the Empire State Building, lightning strikes on average about 25 times a year.
Men think about sex every 7 seconds — More like false
Of course, thinking about reproduction is an instinct built into humans by nature. However, scientifically verifying how often such thoughts cross a man’s mind is impossible. But according to sociological studies, thinking about sex every 7 seconds is a clear exaggeration.
Hair and nails continue to grow after death — False
After death, all processes in a human body stop almost immediately, including hair and nail growth. This misconception is caused by a simple optical illusion. After death, a person’s body loses a lot of fluids, the skin contracts, exposing the nails, which makes the hair appear longer.
Yawning is contagious — More likely true
From experience, it’s known that when one person starts yawning, it “infects” everyone around. It’s hard to say how true this is from a scientific point of view, but some anthropologists believe that the reflex to imitate yawning of a neighbor has remained with us from monkeys. Chimpanzees, for example, love to imitate each other’s yawns. So, when we yawn after a neighbor, we’re simply subconsciously imitating them.
A dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s — Can’t be compared
Despite the fact that dogs tend to stick their noses and tongues into places that can hardly be called clean, it’s believed that the oral cavity of dogs is more sterile than a human’s. In reality, the bacterial composition living in the mouths of different biological species is so diverse that comparison is impossible. So, a dog isn’t cleaner; it’s just different.
If it’s picked up within five seconds, it’s not considered dropped — Absurd falsehood
This is so absurd that few people take it seriously, but just as a reminder, tests have shown that harmful bacteria immediately attach to any object that falls on the ground upon first contact.
Animals can predict natural disasters — More like false
There’s no solid evidence of animals possessing a sixth sense. However, their excellent sense of smell, hearing, and vision, as well as innate instincts developed better than humans, enable animals to detect danger more quickly. Moreover, animals would never gaze curiously at a hurricane or an approaching tsunami.
Nevertheless, many animals perish during natural disasters. So, even if animals have a “sixth sense,” it doesn’t seem to be particularly useful to them.
If you run in the rain, you’ll get less wet — Mathematical truth
A series of mathematical equations developed specifically to describe this process actually prove that this is more likely true. When running, you’re much more likely to risk spoiling your suit, as the front of your torso gets wet the most. During a leisurely walk in urban rain, your hair is at the greatest risk, as the head suffers the most when moving in this manner.
The Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible from space — False
There are different variations of this statement, but they’re all equally false. Astronauts can see many man-made objects from low orbit. For example, the Egyptian pyramids or even the runways of major airports. In reality, seeing the Great Wall of China without knowing exactly where it’s located is much more difficult than seeing many other objects. And seeing the wall from the Moon is definitely impossible.
The change of seasons occurs due to the Earth’s changing distance from the Sun — False
The change in distance from the Earth to the Sun as the planet moves along its orbit has little impact on the Earth’s temperature. It’s all about the tilt of the Earth’s axis relative to the Sun, which, as it changes, affects the changing of the seasons. It’s simple, but still not fully understood by many.
Chewing gum takes 7 years to digest in the stomach — Funny falsehood
Of course, breaking down chewing gum is a bit more challenging than digesting organic food, but there’s nothing impossible for our bodies. So, just like regular food, chewing gum is digested and expelled from the body. This misconception likely originated from the casual comments of stern adults.
