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40 Offensive-Minded Myths and Misconceptions That Couldn’t Penetrate Our Debunking Defensive Line

A message to all of you myths out there: You shall not pass!

40 Offensive-Minded Myths and Misconceptions That Couldn’t Penetrate Our Debunking Defensive Line

February 12, 2025

Sports references usually aren’t our thing, but keeping these myths at bay gave us such an adrenaline rush that we finally understood what defensive players must feel like. They don’t get as much credit as offensive players who put up the points, but it seems like holding down the fort let’s those flashy point-getters do their thing.

By not letting these myths get by us, we allow our facts to get out there and penetrate brains with the truth!

We see you, defense. Keep doin’ your thing.

40

Vitamin C

Contrary to popular belief, Vitamin С doesn't prevent you from catching a cold. But it can have some benefits for colds, like reducing their severity or duration - that's the finding of a meta-analysis of 29 scientific studies. CRACKED.COM

39

Opossums

MYTH Opossums sleep upside down and hanging by their tails. TRUTH Only baby opossums can support their weight with their tail...and only for a few seconds. CRACKED.COM — Source

38

GMO Foods

BELIEF: GMO foods are dangerous, and will give humans all kinds of diseases. TRUTH: The National Academies of Science found no link between increased

37

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of BELIEF: China is visible from space. TRUTH: The Wall isn't visible with the naked eye while an astronaut is in low orbit, but you can see it in photos taken from space. CRACKED.COM — Source: 17 Historical (False) Facts

36

Military-Grade

CRACKED MILITARY GRADE = TOP QUALITY People often think that products labeled as military grade are the best quality, but that's not the case. These products are just the cheapest option that meets the minimum requirements for durability. — Source

35

Leopards

A leopard never changes its spots This belief is SO popular that it became an idiom, but leopards do change their spots as they reach adulthood. The

34

Betsy Ross

CRACKED.COM MYTH: Betsy Ross created the first American flag There's no evidence to suggest this, aside from her grandson's account. Historians have confirmed that she made flags for the Pennsylvania State Navy Board. — Source

33

The Founding Fathers

CRACKED.COM MYTH: The Founding Fathers were Christians. No matter who you include as a Founding Father, not all of them were Christian. Deism (which prioritizes human experience and rationality over religious dogma and texts) had a huge influence during their time. — Source

32

Shaving

Shaving Thickens Beards CRACKED.COM Unfortunately, no amount of Bic'ing will get you closer to viking glory. Shaving is purely a surface of the skin activity, and doesn't affect hair growth. If you want a thick beard immediately, you're gonna have to knock Santa off your roof, just like Tim Allen did. — Source

31

The Pilgrims

CRACKED.COM MYTH: The Pilgrims definitely landed on Plymouth Rock It wasn't until 121 years after William Bradford & Co. set foot on land that there's any mention of the granite. A son of a Pilgrim told of its signification, but the only surviving firsthand accounts make no mention of it. — Source

30

Ostriches

MYTH Ostriches bury their heads in the sand when they're scared. TRUTH Ostriches run (at high speeds) when they're scared. They never bury their heads. CRACKED.COM — The 6 Most Frequently Quoted Bullshit Animal Facts

29

Palm Trees

CRACKED PALM TREES ARE NATIVE TO L.A. It's a common misconception that palm trees are from Los Angeles. In reality, most of the palm trees in L.A. were brought in from other places and planted to make the city more beautiful and attract more people. с DESER SP KEE adidas HOLTYWO VEN Sterlins 2

28

Urine

Urine is sterile. It's a myth that pee is totally clean. In reality, even healthy people have some bacteria in their urine. CRACKED — Tupungato/Shutterstock
Science News

27

Knuckles

CRACKED MYTH: CRACKING YOUR KNUCKLES WILL CAUSE ARTHRITIS. FACT: Studies have shown no evidence to support this common belief. The cracking sound that you hear when you crack your knuckles is caused by the release of gas bubbles in the synovial fluid that lubricates the joints. Arthritis is caused by inflammation of the joints- and the release of gas bubbles is not thought to cause it.

26

Electric Fans

CRACKED WHY DO PEOPLE THINK ELECTRIC FANS WILL KILL YOU IN YOUR SLEEP? The fan death myth in South Korea dates back to 1927 and has been perpetuated by the belief that electric fans can cause asphyxiation, with a 1970s energy crisis possibly contributing. The nocebo effect suggests negative expectations can create harmful events which fulfill those expectations. — The Atlantic / The Sun

25

White Statues

BELIEF: Classical statues were white. TRUTH: Ancient Roman and Greek statues used to painted bright colors but have faded over time. CRACKED.COM

24

Buddhism

YOU'D THINK THAT A RELIGIOUS LEADER LIKE THE DALAI LAMA WOULDN'T CARE ABOUT SCIENCE 16 A N ACTUALLY, НЕ LOVES IT! World-class scientists have generously coached me in subatomic physics, cosmology. psychology, biology. If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change. CRACKED.COM — 19 Celebs Who (In Private) Aren't Like Their Public Personas

23

Your One Free Phone Call

MYTH: When you're arrested, you get one free phone call. FACT: Nope, that's absolutely not the law. The one phone call rule is purely a Hollywood invention. Now that goes both ways; some jails have pay phones and you can call whomever you want as long as the person on the other end is willing to pay for it, but they don't have to let you use the phone at all. If you're being refused the right to make a call, an attorney can argue on your behalf. But they need to demonstrate that it's an important call. CRACKED.COM http://jerlaw.com/arrested/ — 23 Widely-Circulated 'Facts' About The Law That Are Myths

22

Lions

MYTH Lions have kings (or at least alphas). TRUTH Lions don't have a hierarchy. They live in a egalitarian society. CRACKED.COM — BBC

21

Police Brutality

CRACKED.COM MYTH: Cops manhandling a suspect in a movie or TV show? It's okay if it's the good guys doing it. REALITY: No, it really isn't. A study of 26 crime series (from How To Get Away With Murder to Mindhunter) showed that abuse of power is often portrayed as acceptable, forgivable, and even virtuous, as long as it's the heroes doing it. In reality, this type of conduct is an example of injustice itself. It's also a dangerous belief, as most people think they're the good guys.

20

Vibrators

CRACKED VIBRATORS AS TREATMENT FOR HYSTERIA It's a common misconception that Victorian doctors used vibrators to treat female hysteria, but there's no proof that this was ever a regular medical practice at all. — The Atlantic / Get Maude

19

Owls

MYTH Owls can spin their heads around completely. TRUTH Owls can turn their heads 270 degrees in both directions. CRACKED.COM — Mental Floss

18

Bats

Bats Are Blind CRACKED.COM The beloved rat of the sky is not as sightless as popular sayings would have you believe. Yes, they do use echolocation to get around, but their eyes are still functional. Studies have shown that the blindest living organisms, in fact, are NFL referees. — BusinessInsider

17

Julius Caesar

I'm the heir to my great Gaius Julius, as you and powerful uncle, .I will are now the Emperor use his name on my title! you shall be called Julius Caesar MYTH REALITY Augustus, the First Roman Gaius Julius Caesar Emperor Myth: The name Caesar is Latin for Emperor. Reality: The first five emperors of Rome (Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero) were all related to or heirs of the dictator Gaius Julius Caesar by birth or adoption, and as was customary they took his name for their own. By the time Nero died, a Caesar had been on the — 26 Side By Side Comparisons That Fix Your Image Of History

16

T. Rexes

MYTH T-Rexes had terrible vision. URASSIC PARKO TRUTH T-Rexes could see as well as a hawk or an eagle. CRACKED.COM — Mental Floss

15

Flat Earthers

- t BELIEF: Medieval Europeans believed the Earth was flat. TRUTH: People knew the Earth was round by sixth century BC. The myth was started by people in the 1800s. CRACKED.COM

14

Monkeys

MYTH Monkeys eat bananas, obviously. TRUTH Monkeys don't eat bananas like the ones in the grocery in the wild. If you feed a monkey a banana, it's nutritionally like giving them chocolate cake. CRACKED.COM — Source

13

Roadrunners

MYTH Roadrunners can outrun those pesky coyotes. TRUTH Roadrunners can run up to 20 mph, but coyotes can run twice as fast. CRACKED.COM — Mental Floss

12

Raptors

Velociraptors probably weren't actually cunning, cooperative pack hunters. It's a popular image in both pop culture and science, but some scientists now think they attacked the same prey but didn't cooperate much NOW YOU KNOW CRACKED.COM — Source

11

Waterworld

CRACKED COM In Waterworld, the polar ice caps have melted, leaving almost all land underwater. In reality, if this happened, the sea would rise Present day 216 ft (66m), shore a catastrophic scenario, but not all-world- encompassing. — Source: 19 Science Facts Everybody Assumed Movies Got Right (They Didn't)

10

Cowboys

BELIEF: Cowboy hats were worn in beginning of the Western American frontier. TRUTH: The cowboy hat didn't become popular until after the American Civi

9

Pythagoras

a2+b = c2 t BELIEF: The Pythagorean theorem was discovered by Pythagoras. TRUTH: The theorem was used centuries before Pythagoras was born. Little is — Source: Maths History

8

Pilgrims

BELIEF: Pilgrims wore all black and buckle hats. TRUTH: Pilgrims dressed mostly in earth tones and would wear hats but without buckles. The fashion st — Source: Smithsonian Magazine

7

Togas

People have an image of Romans always walking around wearing togas. In reality they were cumbersome, and heavy and not very popular. The average Roman wore lightweight tunics better suited to a Mediterranean climate. Togas were reserved for special occasions, such as weddings or for the Senate, much like a suit. GRACKED.COM — Source

6

Human Trafficking

CRACKEDCO MYTH: Human traffickers are almost always men. REALITY: Female traffickers make up a large part of all human traffickers. 37% of traffickers

5

Springtime

Research on seasonal effects on suicide rates suggests that suicide attempts OCCUr more frequently in the springtime, contrary to the popular belief t

4

Courtrooms

BELIEF: Gavel-banging is part of a standard courtroom proceeding. TRUTH: Far from it. Not only is it not part of the procedure, but a survey of NYC ju

3

The Right to Remain Silent

MYTH: When the police ask you a question, you'd better answer. FAGT8 You always have the right not to answer. The right to remain silent doesn't just

2

Amadeus

THE OSCAR WINNER In Amadeus, Mozart is a goof who was fiercely envied (and probably killed) by Salieri. REALITY THE But Mozart and Salieri had a respe

1

Vomitoriums

Myth 'Vomitorium' is a designated place for ancient Romans to vomit everything they'd feasted on to stay in shape or to make room to eat more. Reality

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