Well Known Truths That Are Actually Lies

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  • 1/10
    Myth: Your fingers wrinkle due to absorbing water. Those pruney fingers that you get after sitting in water is actually an evolved mechanism that came about to help our ancestors get a better grip in wet environments.
    1/10 Myth: Your fingers wrinkle due to absorbing water. Those pruney fingers that you get after sitting in water is actually an evolved mechanism that came about to help our ancestors get a better grip in wet environments.
  • 2/10
    Myth: George Washington had wooden teeth. George Washington's false teeth were actually made from gold, hippo ivory, lead, animal teeth and human teeth (from slaves).
    2/10 Myth: George Washington had wooden teeth. George Washington's false teeth were actually made from gold, hippo ivory, lead, animal teeth and human teeth (from slaves).
  • 3/10
    Myth: Vikings wore horns on their helmets. Vikings did not wear horns on their helmets, as such a design would have allowed opponents something to grab hold of (or snare on something during battle). The vision of vikings with horns on their helmets only dates back to the 19th century when famed opera "Der Ring des Nibelungen" depicted vikings wearing horned helmets.
    3/10 Myth: Vikings wore horns on their helmets. Vikings did not wear horns on their helmets, as such a design would have allowed opponents something to grab hold of (or snare on something during battle). The vision of vikings with horns on their helmets only dates back to the 19th century when famed opera "Der Ring des Nibelungen" depicted vikings wearing horned helmets.
  • 4/10
    Myth: Albert Einstein failed math as a child. Einstein was actually a mathematical whiz as a kid (no surprise) and by the time he was fifteen had mastered differential and integral calculus.
    4/10 Myth: Albert Einstein failed math as a child. Einstein was actually a mathematical whiz as a kid (no surprise) and by the time he was fifteen had mastered differential and integral calculus.
  • 5/10
    Myth: Lemmings will mindlessly follow each other off of cliffs. This myth has a darker side to it. Lemmings will not mindlessly follow each other off of a cliff, but they were forced to do so for a 1958 Disney documentary called "White Wilderness" in which the film crew killed many lemmings by dumping them into the water.
    5/10 Myth: Lemmings will mindlessly follow each other off of cliffs. This myth has a darker side to it. Lemmings will not mindlessly follow each other off of a cliff, but they were forced to do so for a 1958 Disney documentary called "White Wilderness" in which the film crew killed many lemmings by dumping them into the water.
  • 6/10
    Myth: Medieval people believed the Earth was flat. It had been proven since the ancient Greek times that the world was actually round, so any educated individual since then (including Christopher Columbus) would have been aware of this basic fact.
    6/10 Myth: Medieval people believed the Earth was flat. It had been proven since the ancient Greek times that the world was actually round, so any educated individual since then (including Christopher Columbus) would have been aware of this basic fact.
  • 7/10
    Myth: Napoleon Bonaparte was short. Napoleon was given the affectionate nickname "the little corporal" by his soldiers, but he was actually 5' 7" which was the average height of a man at the time.
    7/10 Myth: Napoleon Bonaparte was short. Napoleon was given the affectionate nickname "the little corporal" by his soldiers, but he was actually 5' 7" which was the average height of a man at the time.
  • 8/10
    Myth: Using "Xmas" is a plot to remove religion from "Christmas". The "X" from "Xmas" comes from the Greek letter "Chi" which looks like an English "X" and is also the letter that "Christ" begins with in Greek. The use of Xmas as short form for Christmas dates back to 1021 CE when monks used it in writings.
    8/10 Myth: Using "Xmas" is a plot to remove religion from "Christmas". The "X" from "Xmas" comes from the Greek letter "Chi" which looks like an English "X" and is also the letter that "Christ" begins with in Greek. The use of Xmas as short form for Christmas dates back to 1021 CE when monks used it in writings.
  • 9/10
    Myth: You only use 10% of your brain. The "10% myth" is a falsehood that has been heavily promoted by pop culture and films referencing it. In truth, the human brain is an incredibly complex organ that consumes up to 20% of the body's resource, despite only being roughly 2% of the body's weight. So for it to be made up of 90% wasted space, then natural selection would have lead to humans with smaller, more efficient brains.
    9/10 Myth: You only use 10% of your brain. The "10% myth" is a falsehood that has been heavily promoted by pop culture and films referencing it. In truth, the human brain is an incredibly complex organ that consumes up to 20% of the body's resource, despite only being roughly 2% of the body's weight. So for it to be made up of 90% wasted space, then natural selection would have lead to humans with smaller, more efficient brains.
  • 10/10
    Myth: The Romans would vomit during meals so they could eat more. The word "Vomitorium" actually refers not to a room where someone would vomit, but refers to an exit from which people would leave buildings.
    10/10 Myth: The Romans would vomit during meals so they could eat more. The word "Vomitorium" actually refers not to a room where someone would vomit, but refers to an exit from which people would leave buildings.

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There are lots of things that are common knowledge, things we hear all of the time and are obviously 'true'. Except when they actually aren't. Which common misconceptions do you hold?

Source: www.answers.com