10+ Popular Myths Everyone Still Falls For

So, what kind of gas do you fill up with? Well, tacos usually do the trick for me, but at the filling station, you’ve probably noticed different tabs with some numbers on gas pump buttons. Those are octane levels, varying from regular and mid-grade to premium. Each one provides a different level of octane that your specific engine type requires functioning effectively.

Your choice should be based on the compression ratio of your engine. So, the myth of using premium for a car that requires regular gas to gain better performance or to boost the engine’s health is false. Best stick to the fuel recommended for your car. You’ll save money buying the correct fuel.

But what if you filled your gas tank on a cold morning, allowing the fuel to shrink? Won’t it make the fuel denser, providing more value for your dollar? This is another false myth. The supply tanks are buried so deep underground that the temperature inside doesn’t change at all.

We’ve all heard that the toilet bowl flushes in the opposite direction in different hemispheres: clockwise in the North and counterclockwise in the South. In theory, the Coriolis effect should indeed make the water move in those directions. But in reality, the departing water is only influenced by how it’s flushed. And the direction of the flow doesn’t depend on the place.

You’re caught up in a thunderstorm, and there is no shelter around you. Lightning strikes suddenly, and your first thought is to run toward where it’s just struck. After all, lightning never strikes the same place twice, right? Wrong! The lighting did hit that spot for some reason! This might be a sign that it’s a risky place — such a spot can be easily struck again. Best find some shelter and stay away from metal objects.

Eating before swimming has always been considered dangerous. People believed it caused cramps. But this isn’t actually true — the only negative effect of swimming after having a meal is shortness of breath. So, just make sure you keep to the shallows as your food goes down.

The Great Wall of China is often claimed to be visible from space. But there’s actually no building on Earth that can be visible from such a distance. You can see lights on Earth during the night, though.

Albert Einstein, the greatest physicist of all time, was often mentioned for his poor math skills. People said he’d failed this subject at school. But even though Einstein did fail an irrelevant entrance exam, he was actually REALLY good at math, even creating his own original proof of the Pythagorean theorem at the age of 12! Such a late bloomer, huh?

Spring is in the air! Unfortunately, this isn’t the best time for baby birds — they tend to fall out of their nests. Sometimes, they end up in a dangerous place and should be taken somewhere safer. But you’ve probably been told that if someone touches them, their mother will no longer take an interest in raising its young. In reality, birds have a very poor sense of smell and can’t tell if a human has made contact. So, feel free to place them back into their nest if needed.

“Given our brains are so large, it’s a shame we only use 10% of their capacity.” Another myth! You actually use your brain to the full. But different parts of it work at different times during the day.

There was a time when warming up your car in cold weather was a necessity. And some people believe it’s still true. But today, we use different cars — and it’s worse for your vehicle to be left idle for too long. As for warming it up — 30 seconds is all the waiting you need.

There’s an old saying that relates to bats’ poor eyesight. But this couldn’t be more untrue. Not only do they use echolocation, which is extraordinary, but they can also see pretty well. In fact, they see better than us, humans, during dusk and dawn. Watching TV or staring at your computer doesn’t give you square eyes or harm them in any way. Your eyes simply become strained and tired after a while. But as long as you blink enough not to let them dry out, they’ll be fine.

Baldness is a natural occurrence in men. Shampoos, gels, sunlight, hats, and levels of testosterone have all been blamed for the early loss of hair. But natural hair loss is purely hereditary. It can come from both sides of the family — but mainly from the father’s genes.

We’ve all swallowed our chewing gum, whether by accident or when there wasn’t a table to stick it under. Don’t worry; it won’t reappear 7 years from now. Your stomach will easily digest it and pass it straight on through.

Purchasing makeup in bulk is a great way to save money — as makeup supposedly never expires. But it does! It can also grow bacteria which will negatively affect your skin. So, make sure to renew your supply every 12 months. Another myth about makeup is that it’s harmful to the skin. But in reality, it’s completely fine and can help protect your skin from pollution. Just don’t forget to remove it daily.

Vikings have always been admired and popular in cultures around the world. They’ve been pictured as brave warriors, wearing helmets with horns on them. But the truth is they never had horns. This image was first portrayed in an opera composed by Wagner in the 19th century. And since then, the horns have been associated with Vikings.

You might have been told not to wear red around bulls. But in reality, it doesn’t matter what you wear as these animals can’t see color. They are usually provoked by general movement. Dogs, on the other hand, can see colors. But how they do it is different to humans.

The ostrich will lay its head and neck along the ground if it sees an enemy coming. As the bird’s colors match the ground, it easily blends into its surroundings. At the same time, ostriches often look as if their heads are stuck in the ground. But they are not! Ostriches wouldn’t be able to breathe if that was really what they were doing.

The Scottish Highlands are synonymous with beautiful landscapes, kilts, and the soothing sounds of the bagpipe. Oh yeah, let’s not forget golf. But the bagpipe isn’t originally Scottish. This instrument was first used in the Middle East centuries before anyone in Europe had the opportunity to annoy their neighbors by playing this unusual instrument.

During deep sleep, you breathe heavily and can accidentally pull into your mouth all kinds of things. That’s why you swallow 7 spiders on average per year. Or so they say. But this is not possible! A spider can find nothing less appealing than a growling, fleshy pile of human that offers no food. It simply won’t get near your mouth.

Your fingernails don’t grow at the same rate. The more the hand or finger is used, the more it promotes the growth of the nail. That’s why the nails on your dominant hand grow faster than on the other.

Ninjas didn’t just have one color of their famous ninja uniform. Of course, black was the best to blend in at night. But they also had quite a wardrobe that contained many colors — to blend in on other occasions.

Shaving your hair won’t make it thicker, change its color, or make it coarser. It just appears that way since new hairs start growing back with blunt tips at the ends.

The memories of goldfish last way longer than 3 seconds. These creatures can remember things for up to 3 months. You can also teach your goldfish to feed in the same place every day, amongst other tricks.

Chameleons’ natural color of dull brown and green already blends in with their surroundings. These animals don’t need their ability to change color to hide. Their amazing skills are instead used for communication and temperature control.

During an earthquake, you’re advised to find a doorway as that is the safest place in a building. In reality, it’s not safer than any other part of your house. Instead, seek shelter under a table or desk until the shaking stops.

Opossums have been shown to hang upside down in many cartoons. And indeed, their tails are strong enough to allow them to hang this way for a short while. But their bodies are too large to be hanging from a branch for more than a quick picture.

We’re all aware of the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But although puppies learn more easily, grown-up dogs can also learn tricks with ease. A trick you should avoid, though, is the one that involves your pooch licking your face. Dogs’ saliva has slightly more alkaline PH, which can prevent bacteria from breeding. But there can be hundreds of bacteria living in a dog’s mouth, which may be harmful to your skin. Nah, my dog can kiss me all she wants.

Napoleon was one of the most successful emperors in human history. But in modern times, he’s sometimes mocked for his short stature. However, at 5 foot 6 inches, he was above the average height for that time. Napoleon even once played point guard for the French national basketball team. Nah, I made that up.