Top 10 Most Outrageous Science Myths

Let us have a look at the top 10 most ridiculous science myths and try to delve on these common misconceptions which can definitely make it to our top 10 list.

 

1. Outer space has no gravity

outer-space

On the contrary, there is gravity in space. In fact, there is a lot of it. The main reason why astronauts seem to be floating in space is that they are actually falling towards the earth but are moving sideways in order to avoid it. In effect, astronauts are actually orbiting the earth.

 

2. Lightning will never strike the same spot twice

lightning

When you are considering running away from a lightning bolt, forget about the popular adage as you might be jolted to the stark reality that indeed lightning strike in the same place more frequently.

 

3. Meteors are heated up by friction upon entry to the earth’s atmosphere

meteors

Once the meteor enters the earth’s atmosphere, the compressed air in front of the meteor heats it up. It hurtles down towards the earth at enormous speed causing the creation of friction between the compressed air and the surface of the meteor.

 

4. A person may die when hit by a penny drop from a high building

penny

This is an oft repeated clichés so commonly seen in movies. There is no basis for such assumption in truth and in fact. The worst that can happen is that the person getting hit by a penny dropped from a high building will feel the sting and nothing more.

 

5. Dead brain cells can not regenerate

brain-celljpg

This was the previous principle taught to us in our science classes. However, scientist in Sweden debunked this principle by successfully demonstrating the capability of the brain cells to regenerate.

 

6. The moon has its own dark side

dark-side-moon

On the contrary, all the surfaces of the moon are illuminated by the sun at one time or another. This misconception is brought about by the presence of a portion of the moon which is not visible to us here on earth. The reason for this is because of tidal locking.

 

7. It is safe to eat food dropped on the floor as long as you pick them up within 5 seconds

food-on-the-floor

This is plain hogwash! If there are germs in the floor, it will immediately come into contact with the food.

 

8. The brightest star in the northern hemisphere is the Polaris

polaris-star

This is another common misconception. Actually, Sirius is brighter having a magnitude of 1.47. One the other hand, the magnitude of Polaris is 1.97. The lower the magnitude, the brighter is the star.

 

9. The Human will explode when exposed to the vacuum of space

human-explosion

This misconception was bolstered by all those cinematic drama we see in sci-fi movies. On the contrary, human can actually survive space for 15 to 30 seconds for as long as they air from their lungs before exposure. You will actually die of asphyxiation once you are exposed to the vacuum of space.

 

10. Evolution leads to the development of a higher form of species

evolution

While we have known that natural selection has led to the weeding out of inferior and unhealthy genes, there are also several imperfect organisms that survive these process of elimination.

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6 Responses

  1. Crystal

    about number ten:
    (even though i don’t believe in evolution)
    don’t you think it’s kind of odd that people are trying to save the animals and other species, when (if evolution is real) it would be stopping evolution and the “weeding out of inferior and unhealthy genes”?

    Just a thought

    Reply
  2. Vibhav

    This evolution business was basically a ‘feel-good’ theory that put the white men(more specifically the British) at top of the ladder of perfetion.

    That said, I have no quarrels with it though…

    However I do feel sometimes that if this theory were true, wouldnt have other species disappeared completely from the face of earth?

    The real truth is this that all cultures, languages and sciences have their origins in the four sacred Ved.

    This is the truth more than which I wouldn’t care to say.

    Reply
  3. oliver

    if evolution is true how many monkeys died and even kingkong died but they dont change into human?

    Reply
  4. Daniel

    With regards to number 10 and the other comments posted I think it is very short sighted to say it would be “stopping evolution” by trying to protect animals. Animals aren’t protected from other animals, they are protected from the massive devastation caused by humans to the planet, to which animals cannot evolve quickly enough to cope with. “The evolution business” by which you mean the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, was not a “feel good theory” but a scientific theory based on years of observations, not to make himself or the British feel better about themselves but to inform through scientific studies. It is also worth mentioning Vibhav; over 98% of all the species that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct. I don’t mean to be disrespectful to your religion and the Vedic texts but I cannot believe something that was written closer to a time when people believed there was a sun god with gold hair and arms who controls life and death.

    Reply
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