10 Scientific “Facts” That Were Proven Wrong
Any idea how science progresses?
We try to disprove what we already know and if we are able to do it, we learn the “new”
truth and if we can’t, we learn that we already knew the truth!
So basically science leaves room for mistakes, how else do you expect new learning?
We grew up listening to certain theories that were believed to be true but over the years
we have learnt how wrong our assumptions were.
If we look at it like an advancement instead of a subject for mockery, we have a great
deal of data to reflect upon and learn from it.
So are you ready go back in time to laugh at our inaccuracies and celebrate the spirit
of science?
Number 10.
Goldfish has a memory span of 3 seconds It’s been years since goldfish keepers are
hearing that this little fish has a memory span of not more than 3 seconds.
This “fact” has been proven wrong after scientists conducted a few experiments to
train the goldies and see how much they remembered!
An experiment was conducted where a sound was played when the fish were fed and once
the fish were trained according to the sound, they were left in the wild.
After 5 months they were brought back, the same sound played and the fish gathered at
the same spot for their food!
This proves that goldies have a memory of at least 5 months!
Number 9.
Telegony We are talking about a theory of heredity,
prevalent among the Nazis so you can expect something weirdly interesting!
So this theory states that an offspring can inherit the characteristics of a previous
mate of the female parent.
Nazis believed that an Aryan woman who has had intercourse with a non-Aryan man can no
longer bear “pure” Aryan child due to this theory!
Imagine if it were true, some of us would be looking like our dead step-father, with
whom we have no blood relation.
The thought is very unsettling!
Number 8.
Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice
We have all heard this from our ancestors and grew up believing in it, right?
While this fact may have been true for that time, it holds no importance today because
statistical data proves otherwise!
Since lightning tries to reach the ground as quick as possible, it is understandable
why tall buildings and trees experience the risk.
As per stats, lightning can and will strike the same place more than once, especially
if it is closer to the sky!
You aren’t safe in your high rise apartment even if it has already been once struck by
lightning, the risk has just INCREASED!
Number 7.
Neanderthals and Humans Didn’t Mix The next time you have an urge to call someone
a Neanderthal, keep it in check because you yourself are a descendant of them!
A quick look in the mirror will help you shut up!
Sorry, we went too far but it isn’t entirely incorrect!
Recent studies have shown that modern humans mated with Neanderthals who mysteriously died
out about 30,000 years ago.
Humans and their ancient neighbors had 99.7% DNA same which is a bit more than we have
in common with our closest relative chimpanzee!
They might not be our ancestors but a small bit of their DNA runs in us, shocking!
Number 6.
Gum takes 7 years to digest At least once you have cried yourself to sleep
thinking about the chewing gum you just swallowed because it will take 7 years to digest!
Relax people, even though your stomach cannot break a gum the way it breaks other food,
it does not mean the gum will stay in your system for that long!
The sugar may be digested but the gum raisin is pushed through the tract by the gut.
The scary journey ends with a trip to the washroom, simple!
Are you relieved now, in all senses?
Number 5.
Fingers swell from water We have all seen our fingers wrinkling after
they have been too long in water, particularly after a nice swimming class.
While many have believed the reason to be absorption of water which causes swelling
and ultimately wrinkling, this isn’t how it works!
Actually the body just narrows blood vessels by contracting their muscles while in water
which cause them to look wrinkled.
The explanation might be simple but absorbing water is what comes first to our mind, right?
Number 4.
Sunflowers follow the sun across the sky Come on, we have all believed this one and
if you aren’t in touch with science then you still believe this!
It is interesting to know that the sunflowers don’t follow the sun across the sky as we
all know as a “fact” and rather always point towards east!
Though part of this factoid is true because tiny buds do follow the sun to allow the soon
to be flowers to know the right direction, we can’t agree to the statement completely.
Flowers train themselves to point a certain way, aren’t they genuinely smart?
Number 3.
Bulls are driven mad by red Why does a bull charge at a matador?
We have all believed that the bull is agitated by the red cape that the matador holds, the
focus on the color RED.
Uhmm, if you have also lived by this belief then it’s a shock time for you because that
is not the case!
You’d be surprised to know that the bull cannot see the color red and it appears to
him just as another shade of gray!
Like seriously?
Yea people, it isn’t about the color.
So what causes the aggression in the bull?
It is the matador’s flag waving in a taunting way that gets the bull’s blood boiling!
Number 2.
Complex organisms have more genes It was widely believed that the more complex
an organism is, the more number of genes it has.
Does that sound like a “fact” to you?
Had that been true, humans would have had about 100,000 genes, where in reality we have
just 20,000!
Contrastingly, some tiny moss plants have more than 30,000!
That leaves us in a state of shock but science was wrong when it said that genes are directly
proportional to the size of the organism!
Number 1.
Flat Earth We all know the archaic concept of Earth’s
shape that described it as a disk or plane, accepted by majority till the 17th century.
Later the evidence by Pythagoras that appeared in 6th century BC and that of Aristotle from
330 BC were accepted and the world agreed on a spherical model of the planet.
Though we have accepted the spherical model of Earth, there are people who still believe
that Earth is flat.
They even have their online societies, imagine in the modern day!
But if you aren’t among them, know that science finally made amends after years of
struggle.
Rejoice!
Which of these science facts seemed the most bizarre to you?
Tell us in the comment section below.
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