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Curiosity, a.
Podcast that inspires the next generation
to stay curious.
Cultivate Curiosity is brought to you by
the Emerald Coast Science Center, a
nonprofit.
Interactive science museum and STEAM
educational facility in Fort Walton Beach,
Florida.
This podcast is perfect for anyone curious
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next.
Hi, my name is Jacie and I'm
the social media coordinator here at the
Emerald Coast Science Center.
On today's episode of Cultivate Curiosity,
we will be talking about myths.
Myths have been a part of human
storytelling for centuries, whether they
explain natural phenomena, historical
events, or even everyday science.
But what exactly is a myth?
A myth is a widely held but
false belief or idea.
Some myths are passed down through
generations, while others arise from
misunderstandings of science.
Today, we're diving into some of the
most common science myths and and busting
them with real evidence based facts.
Let's get started.
The first myth is we only use
10% of our brains.
This myth has been widely shared in
books, movies and self help seminars.
But it's completely false.
Brain imaging studies show that we use
nearly all parts of our brain even
when we're at rest.
Different tasks activate different areas,
but no part of the brain is
left unused.
The idea that we only use 10%
likely comes from a misunderstanding of
early neurological studies.
In reality, our entire brain is constantly
active, even during sleep.
The second myth is the Great Wall
of China is visible from space.
It's a fun idea, but unfortunately it's
not true.
The Great Wall is long, but it's
quite narrow and made of materials that
blend in with the natural landscape.
Astronauts in low Earth orbit have
confirmed that it is very difficult, if
not impossible, to see with the naked
eye.
Other man made structures like major
cities and airports are much more visible
from space due to their lighting and
contrast.
The third myth is the seasons are
caused by Earth's distance from the sun.
Many people think that summer happens when
the Earth is closest to the sun
and winter occurs when it's farthest away.
But the real reason for the seasons
is Earth's axial tilt.
As Earth orbits the sun, different parts
of the planet receive more direct sunlight
at different times of the year, creating
the changing seasons.
Myth number four is sugar makes kids
hyper.
Many parents swear that their children
become wild after eating candy, but
science says otherwise.
Multiple studies, including those from the
National Institutes of Health, have found
no direct link between sugar intake and
hyperactivity in children.
The behavior changes are more likely due
to excitement, the environment, or even
the placebo Effect where parents expect
hyperactivity and therefore perceive it.
Myth number five is evolution means humans
came from monkeys.
Evolution is often misunderstood as humans
evolving directly from monkeys.
In reality, humans and modern monkeys
share a common ancestor that lived
millions of years ago.
Over time, different species evolved in
different directions.
Evolution is about gradual changes in
species over time, not a linear
transformation from one animal to another.
Myth number six is that water drains
in opposite directions in different
hemispheres.
You may have heard that toilets flush
counterclockwise in the northern
hemisphere and clockwise in the southern
hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect.
The truth is, the Coriolis effect does
influence large scale weather systems like
hurricanes, but it's too weak to affect
something as small as a bathtub or
toilet.
The direction of water drainage is
actually determined by the shape of the
basin and the way the water enters.
Myth number Lightning never strikes the
same place twice.
Not only can lightning strike the same
place twice, it often does.
Tall structures like the Empire State
Building get struck by lightning multiple
times each year.
Lightning follows the path of least
resistance, which often means hitting the
same high point repeatedly.
Myth number eight is that bats are
blind.
Bats are famous for their echolocation
abilities, but they're not blind at all.
In fact, many species have excellent
vision, especially at night.
Echolocation helps them navigate and find
food in the dark, but they still
use their eyes as well.
Myth number nine is you swallow eight
spiders a year while sleeping.
This myth is pure fiction.
Spiders generally avoid humans and are
unlikely to crawl into your mouth while
you sleep.
The vibrations from breathing and snoring
actually deter them.
This myth likely spread as a way
to show how easily misinformation can be
believed.
Myth number 10 is cracking your knuckles
causes arthritis.
Good news for knuckle crackers.
There's no evidence that cracking your
knuckles leads to arthritis.
The popping sound comes from gas bubbles
in the joint fluid collapsing, not from
bones grinding together.
Long term studies have found no link
between knuckle cracking and joint damage.
Myth number 11 is a penny dropped
from the Empire State Building can kill
someone.
While it's true that a penny dropped
from a great height can pick up
speed, it's not nearly enough to be
lethal.
And air resistance limits the penny's
maximum speed to about 30 to 50
miles per hour.
And its small mass means it wouldn't
cause serious injury.
It might sting, but it won't be
deadly.
And the last Myth, myth number 12
is glass is a slow moving liquid.
Glass may look like it's sagging in
old windows, but it's not because it's
flowing like a liquid.
Glass is actually an anamorphous solid,
meaning it has a rigid structure but
lacks the orderly arrangement of crystals.
The uneven thickness of old glass panes
is due to how they were made,
not because they're slowly dripping over
time.
Well, that wraps up our list of
science myths that we have now.
Busted myths are fascinating, and many of
them stick around because they sound
believable.
But science is all about questioning what
we think we know and testing it
against the evidence.
Thanks for listening to this week's
episode.
As always, stay curious.
Thanks for listening to this week's
episode of Cultivate Curiosity.
If you have any questions, feel free
to email us at socialmedia@ecscience.org.
Tune in for our next episode in
two weeks.