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12 things everyone knows are true - but are in fact false

Normal diamonds are not the hardest material - lonsdaleite (also known as "hexagonal diamond" and found in meteorites) and wurtzite boron nitride (which has a similar structure to lonsdaleite) are both harder.

Life expectancy in medieval Europe was not 30. In fact, it was higher than some nations today at around mid-60s. However, the very high infant mortality rates of the time create a lower average.

The Great Wall of China is not visible from space.

Einstein didn't fail his mathematics exam at school. In his own words, "I never failed in mathematics... before I was fifteen I had mastered differential and integral calculus."

Twinkies don't last forever - their shelf-life is low in comparison to many other cakes at 45 days.

Humans do not only use 10% of their brains.

During WW2, the king of Denmark did not wear a yellow star to show solidarity with the Jews, and Danish Jews were never forced to wear yellow stars.

Mary Magdalene is not referred to as a prostitute anywhere in the Bible.

George Washington's teeth were not made of wood - they were made of lead, ivory, gold and animal and human teeth.

"SOS" does not mean "save our ship" - it was chosen as a distress signal because it's fast and simple to transmit in Morse: ...---...

Vincent Van Gogh only cut off a small part of one earlobe, not his entire ear.

When JFK visited Germany in 1963 and said said "Ich bin ein Berliner", locals didn't laugh at him because despite the myth it doesn't mean "I am a doughnut." While "Berliner" is used in some parts of Germany to refer to a Berliner Pfannkuchen doughnut, in Berlin it's called a Pfannkuchen, while "Berliner" refers to the inhabitants of the city.

Jnei 8 Mar 21
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10 comments

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1

Donald Trump's ego can be seen from space.

That one might actually come true if we end up in a nuclear conflict.

@TaraMarshall I appreciaate your comment because it rings true, not because I am happy we'll all go together when we go... except of course when Tom Lehrer sings it:

5

Donald Trump isn't "Making America Great Again".

jeffy Level 7 Mar 21, 2018
6

And yet no matter how many times I tell her, my mother still insists going out without a coat will give me a cold.

ps - I like your new profile pick, @Jnei!

Thanks! On a bit of a De Lempicka trip at the moment - a few more days'-worth, then I'll go for some Serebriakova 🙂

Oh, @Jnei, wait a few days more? Serebriakova is lovely, but De Lempicka has such vivid life in her work. It makes me happy to see it.Then again, I'm partial to that time period, so go with how you feel. 😀

@Lauren Got a few more to use - and I'll go back to her before long!

6

I knew the Kennedy thing..and the Van Gogh earlobe thing..and the 10% thing..though over here the average is 5% due to the Drumpf fanatics.

7

The "10% of our brain" myth just won't die.

Other commonly believed myths to add to the pile:

  • "Most of our body heat is lost through the top of our heads."
  • "Sugar makes kids hyperactive."
  • "Caffeine stunts growth."

And more:

We need 8 glasses of water a day.
Cracking your knuckles will make them larger (or give you arthritis).
Don't wake up a sleepwalker.

Why are the false ones so easy for people to remember?

3

and number 13 is "I promise I won't be very long love"
there's shit loads of misinformation out there but still very interesting.

4

George Washington had a mouth full of teeth stolen by force from African American slaves.

So next time you think of the USA's hagiography, take a moment to think of that.

4

Leonardo da Vinci did make the first known robot, it did not have servos and a motor it was a lion made of metal and had moving parts. Washington teeth were made out of walrous tusk ivory.

.

4

Even though it's a myth, I still love Eddie Izzard's bit on "Ich bin ein Berliner".
It's hilarous!

6

Interesting. We have false memories-just reviewed Mandella Effect with my 22 yr old daughter yesterday. Coincidence?

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