13 Things That Seem Wrong (But Aren't)

Bronze medalists are happier than silver medalists and other things that just seem wrong
13 Things That Seem Wrong (But Aren't)

Everyone loves to discover facts that contradict common sense and popular opinion. Here are a few extremely counter-intuitive results from the science archives for your viewing pleasure (and then for the next time somebody asks you a "basic logic" question). 

For example, did you know that giving bonuses for performance can actually…decrease performance? Or that in a room of 23 people, there's (somehow) a 50% chance that at least two will share a birthday? What the heck are the odds? Okay, I guess we just told you the odds. But still! How does that math work out?

Ok fine, one more: did you know that flammable and inflammable are actually SYNONYMS? Don't look at us like that, we didn't…invent English. We just write in it. Ed note: most of the time.

So, trust your instincts. Maybe. For example, on emotional matters. Trust the professionals when it comes to facts. Here are 13 examples of how your gut instinct aint always correct.

Live in a city to save the environment

People who live in cities have smaller carbon footprints Although we imagine living in the middle of the woods to help the environment, using public transport and living in denser housing results in a comparatively smaller carbon footprint. CRACKED.COM

Source: The Guardian

Survivorship Bias

The military wanted to armor the most-hit areas of planes, but a statistician correctly argued otherwise This one is due to survivorship bias. The military was only looking at surviving planes, meaning their most-hit areas were durable enough to survive. Instead, he suggested they arm the least-hit areas, to account for attacks on missing planes that never returned. CRACKED.COM

Source:

All the singles ladies buying houses

Twice as many single women are buying homes as single men Although the wage gap is very real (and we're bored of arguing about it), single women are more likely to buy houses as they get older in the US. 18% of homebuyers were single women, compared to men at only 7%. CRACKED.COM

Source: CNBC

The Earth’s Distance from the Sun

The Earth is farthest from the Sun in July Low density of incident rays (northern winter) Earth Night Day Sun Equator High density of incident rays leouthorn cummer In the Northern Hemisphere, we have summer in July because of the tilt of the Earth's axis, not because of the Earth's general proximity to the Sun. CRACKED.COM

Source: Earthsky

Third is better than second

Bronze medalists are happier than silver medalists Rio2016 8 ARY In the Olympics, silver medalists are more likely to compare themselves to the gold medalist, but bronze medalists are more likely to compare themselves to people who didn't medal at all. CRACKED.COM

Source: NPR

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