10 Facts You’ve Been Wrong About Your Whole Life

Mar 09, 2018

There are a ton of “facts” out there that people like to repeat over and over as general knowledge. But just because everyone keeps repeating the same tidbits of information, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re true!

What if I told you that “facts” like “you’ll get sick if you got out in the cold with wet hair” and “shaving causes your hair to grow back thicker” are completely not true? Keep reading to find out which common facts are complete lies!
 

1. We only use 10% of our brains.

Not true. According to neurologists, we use our entire brain at some point, but certain parts are working harder than others. The “fact” isn’t a complete lie. We are only using 10% of our brains when we’re resting or thinking, but now you can feel confident knowing that we typically use our brain to its full capacity.

2. Typing your pin number in reverse at an ATM machine will notify the police.

This is a dangerous bit of information that dates all the way back to 1994. The police will not come if you type your pin number backward into an ATM machine, and there are no plans to implement this system.

3. Eating carrots improves eyesight.

During WWII, The U.K. Ministry of Food told British civilians that the key to a pilot’s success navigating in the dark was eating carrots, and then encouraged the people to eat more of them to improve their eyesight in the dark. Apparently this lie was concocted to distract the public from learning about top-secret night vision technology that had been developed at the time.

So the truth is unless you’re deficient in Vitamin A, carrots won’t do a darn thing for you.

4. Blood is blue until it's exposed to oxygen.

Blood is always red. While some blood is brighter or darker depending on different levels of oxygen, it is still red. Veins closest to the surface of the skin reflect blue light to the eye, which is why veins appear blue and sometimes green.

5. You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

This phrase has been around since the 1500s and is not entirely accurate. Dogs become more stubborn and stuck in their ways once they’re older, but with a little dedication, it’s possible to teach your senior dog a new trick or two.
 

6. Bats are blind.

Bats can actually see very well, but they rely on their hearing abilities at night by using echolocation capabilities to navigate caves and dark places. Some species of bats can even see ultraviolet rays that are not visible to the human eye!

7. Shaving causes hair to grow back thicker. 

We've all heard this one right? Well, it's NOT true! When hair shafts have been shaved they may appear thicker and darker but it is just because they are blunt. 
 

8. Pregnant women are eating for two.

Okay, technically they are, but two portions of everything is a bit much. A pregnant woman only needs a few hundred extra calories to help their growing baby, so maybe only a couple slices of pizza is a better idea than the whole box.

9. The sky is blue.

Blue is able to scatter better than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. The sky actually lacks color the same way water and air are clear, which is why the ocean takes on a deep blue hue to our eyes.

10. Half of all marriages end in divorce.

Sadly this statistic was once true, but marriages are improving so let’s clear up the confusion. Divorce rates have been falling for decades, so there is now a 75% chance a couple will stay married.

How many of these facts have you repeated without knowing they were false? SHARE this article to set the record straight for your friends and family!