Buzz
There's nothing more satisfying than debunking myths – it's one of our favorite activities here at List Universe. And today, we're carrying on that tradition. Following the success of our popular Top 10 Myths That Are False, we're bringing you another list of commonly believed 'facts' that are, in reality, pure fiction. By the end of this, you'll be ten myths wiser!
10. The Celibacy Myth
Myth: Catholic priests are prohibited from marrying
To clarify this myth, we need to first understand the structure of the Catholic Church. The Church is made up of various sections (also called churches, though not in the sense of being separate entities) – the most well-known being the Roman (or Latin) Catholic Church. There's also the Eastern Catholic Church (distinct from the Orthodox Church, which is a different religion). Both churches are under the authority of the Pope and share the same core doctrines, though there are differences in worship styles and certain practices. In the Eastern Church, priests can marry, but married priests cannot become Bishops. Interestingly, in the Latin Church, some pastors from other denominations, like the Church of England, can become priests (after converting to Catholicism), even if they are married. Therefore, married priests can be found in various parts of the Roman Catholic Church. Pictured above is a Greek Catholic priest and his wife. Don’t take my word for it? Here’s the proof. And here’s even more evidence.
9. The Booze Bus
Myth: St. Bernard dogs carried or still carry brandy flasks around their necks
You’re probably familiar with the image above – a large St. Bernard dog with a flask of brandy around its neck, allegedly used to revive people lost in the snow-covered mountains. What many don’t know is that this story is completely fabricated – St. Bernard dogs never carried brandy casks. In fact, alcohol can worsen hypothermia, so the idea itself isn’t just fictional – it’s dangerous. The monks at the St. Bernard Pass, where the dogs got their name, have stated that they never placed brandy barrels on their rescue dogs, although they do keep a few flasks around for tourist photos.
8. Coffee Cure
Myth: Coffee helps to sober up someone who's drunk
This is a misconception. Alcohol is broken down by the body at a steady rate, approximately one unit (around eight grams) per hour. There’s nothing you can do to speed up the process. For example, drinking two pints of beer, which contain two units of alcohol per pint, would mean it would take four hours for your blood alcohol level to drop to zero. Drinking coffee won’t help, it will only make you a more alert drunk, just as a cold shower would make you a soaked drunk. The best you can do is wait for the effects to wear off naturally.
7. Och Aye The Nou
Myth: Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish
Although I have Scottish ancestry, I hope fellow Scots won’t criticize me too much for revealing this. It turns out that haggis, the popular dish made from minced lamb’s heart, lungs, and liver, is not originally from Scotland. It was likely brought to Scotland from Scandinavia long before Scotland became a nation. Even the Romans had a very similar dish, mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey: 'a man before a great blazing fire turning swiftly this way and that a stomach full of fat and blood, very eager to have it roasted quickly.' Additionally, bagpipes are not Scottish either—they were referenced in ancient Hittite writings (from present-day Turkey), and kilts (though not tartan) were introduced to Scotland by the Vikings.
6. The Popeye Myth
Myth: Spinach makes you strong – just like Popeye the Sailor!
The origin of this myth comes from the idea that spinach is rich in iron – but, hold on… spinach actually isn’t as iron-rich as people think. Believe it or not, the misconception began with a simple mistake in 1870 when Dr. Wolf accidentally misplaced a decimal point, making it appear that spinach had ten times more iron than it truly does. Now, as for the strength part of the myth: building muscle requires exercise and weight training. Eating spinach (or any other food, for that matter) won’t make you stronger on its own – it only provides the energy you need to power through your workout.
5. A Curse Upon Both Your Houses!
Myth: The Great Fire of London in 1666 ended the Great Plague of 1665.
A recent study by the University of London concluded that there is no direct link between the location of the fire and the spread of the devastating plague. The timing of the fire coinciding with the plague's sudden decline was merely a coincidence. The majority of the plague's victims were found in the poorer districts of London, located north, south, and east of the city walls, while the fire occurred within the city itself. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the end of the plague in England should be seen as an entirely spontaneous event.
4. The Evil Vegetarian
Myth: Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian and abstained from drinking alcohol.
This popular myth seems to have spread widely, perhaps due to the ironic notion that a man responsible for one of history's most horrific genocides could be so kind-hearted toward animals that he wouldn't consume them. However, this is far from true. While it’s accurate that Hitler preferred a vegetable-based diet, he had a significant fondness for German sausages and ham. His personal cook in the 1930s, Dione Lucas, confirmed that his favorite dish was stuffed baby pigeon. As for his preferred drink, Hitler typically chose beer or watered-down wine, a detail also confirmed by his waiter, Salvatore Paolini.
3. Traditional Tones
Myth: Classical sculptures and structures were always made of white marble or stone
Many of our longtime followers will be familiar with this myth, though we have many newcomers who might benefit from understanding this better. When we envision the ancient Romans and Greeks, we often picture their iconic white statues and monumental structures. However, as early as the 1800s, archaeologists discovered that these statues had remnants of paint pigments. Back then, color was seen as an optional decorative feature, so no one made an effort to recreate the original hues of these remarkable artworks. Fortunately, modern researchers have worked to replicate these original pigments, and their efforts allow us to see something closer to what these masterpieces looked like in their prime. One example is shown above – and we even provide a full list of these restored colors.
Contributor: JFrater
2. Aluminum / Aluminium
Myth: The term Aluminum is merely an American alteration of the proper word 'aluminium'.
While this may be familiar to many of our American readers, it might not be as well-known to British or Commonwealth readers. In fact, aluminum is the original term, and aluminium was later introduced by the British in an effort to align the name with the pattern of other elements. Here's a timeline that clarifies the history behind the name change:
1808: Sir Humphrey Davy first isolates the metal and names it alumium. 1812: Sir Humphrey revises the name to aluminum, which becomes the term adopted in the United States. 1812: British scientists oppose this change, opting for aluminium to match the naming convention of other elements.
If we are to honor the discoverer with the naming rights, the correct term should be aluminum. For grammar enthusiasts, here's a somewhat unrelated tidbit: In the late 17th century, the word 'fall' was universally used in English to refer to the third season of the year, with both British and Americans using it exclusively. It wasn't until the 18th century that the British adopted the old-fashioned term 'Autumn' (which dates back to the 14th century), while Americans continued to use 'fall'.
1. Mr. Watson – Come Here
Myth: Alexander Graham Bell was the inventor of the telephone
The well-known story tells of Alexander Graham Bell inventing the telephone and famously using it to call his assistant, Mr. Watson. However, the first functional telephone was actually created 15 years earlier by Philipp Reis, a German inventor. His device, known as the Reis Telephon, was first demonstrated in 1861. Though the Reis Telephon could clearly transmit musical tones, it only faintly transmitted human voices. It's clear that the first successful transmission of human voices over a wire happened with Reis's device, a full 15 years before Bell's famous invention.
