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Science might appear intimidating, but at its heart, it's the method we use to unlock the secrets of how our world functions. It’s important to distinguish between the science we teach and the science we still don’t fully grasp. The process of scientific discovery is rarely straightforward, and for a variety of reasons, many truths don’t make it into the textbooks. Whether it’s because emerging research is still being understood, or because there’s reluctance to challenge the status quo, the world of science often holds back. Here are 10 scientific facts that never make it into the classroom curriculum.
10. The Majority of Cells in Your Body Are Not Human
Your gut is home to a unique bacterial ecosystem. These bacteria do more than just influence your cravings—they also affect your mood. In fact, these microbes outnumber your human cells. While these bacterial cells are much smaller, they make up for it with their numbers and their surprising impact on your brain. Recent discoveries have shown how the health of your gut can control various aspects of your body, leading to controversial but promising procedures, such as fecal transplants, which have surprisingly been linked to weight loss and hormone regulation.
9. The Cost of the Materials Required to Create Benedict Cumberbatch Is Estimated at $150,000
Here's a thought experiment for a curious scientist: What would it cost to buy the raw materials that make up a human being? Not their societal worth or the value of their soul, but simply the elements that constitute their body. In 2013, during the Cambridge Science Festival, the British Royal Society of Chemistry tackled this question by calculating the cost of the atomic materials needed to create the actor Benedict Cumberbatch.
The researchers used what scientists already knew about human composition (61% Oxygen, 10% Hydrogen, 2.6% Nitrogen, and so on) and applied it to the mass of a Cumberbatch. After calculating the price of each raw element, the result was striking: $14 for the oxygen, $26 for the hydrogen, just forty cents for the nitrogen, and a hefty $69,550 for his 30 pounds of carbon (with the finest carbon required). Adding in the costs for trace elements, they arrived at an astonishing total of $151,578.46 to build a human body, if it were made to the specifications of Benedict Cumberbatch. Labor not included.
8. For Over a Thousand Years, ‘Spontaneous Generation’ Was Accepted by Scientists
Spontaneous generation was the belief that life could arise from non-living matter. For example, raw meat, left in the right conditions, would suddenly produce flies and maggots. Another supposed example was the mysterious appearance of mice on bread or cheese left in dark corners. This idea was first suggested by Aristotle, who thought it explained the sudden appearance of such creatures.
By the 1700s, it became increasingly clear that complex life doesn't just spring from dead material. Despite this, even great scientists like Darwin hesitated to confront the theory. It wasn't until a debate between biologist Felix Pouchet and Louis Pasteur that the theory was definitively debunked. Pasteur's famous Swan-Neck flask experiment in 1861 finally put an end to the idea of spontaneous generation, marking a major victory for modern science and germ theory.
7. Water Can Be Supercooled Below Freezing
In every science class, students are taught about the freezing and boiling points of water. It remains liquid between 32°F and 212°F (0°C to 100°C for those in Canada). Water is a fascinating molecule: it expands when it freezes, has a molecular polarity, and exhibits a unique bonding type called hydrogen bonding. The well-known 'Mickey Mouse' shape of H2O is responsible for ice crystals forming in a highly organized, lattice-like structure. These ice crystals, much like snowflakes, need something to latch onto in order to grow, such as impurities in the water. Pure distilled water lacks such impurities, allowing it to be 'supercooled' and remain liquid well below its freezing point.
So, why would anyone want to supercool their water bottles? The answer is snap freezing! This happens when water freezes instantly after any impurity or even an air bubble is introduced. Simply tap a supercooled water bottle and watch the liquid freeze into solid ice. Isn’t that amazing?
6. A Tiny Creature Can Survive in Outer Space
The creature capable of surviving in the harshest environments is the tardigrade. You might know them by other names like 'water bear,' 'moss piglet,' or even 'tiny marshmallow overlords.' Although these eight-legged critters aren’t as indestructible as some claim, tardigrades can enter several states of dormancy, allowing them to withstand extreme conditions—even the vacuum of space.
Tardigrades can endure several days at temperatures as low as -200°C through cryobiosis by dramatically reducing their metabolic activity to less than 0.01% of normal. Using anhydrobiosis, they can survive without water by producing trehalose, a glass-like sugar that replaces water in their cells, preventing cellular damage. Through anoxybiosis, tardigrades can achieve the unimaginable. They can survive extreme pressure and a lack of oxygen in environments such as outer space by swelling their bodies into a rigid, near-dead form called Tuns. In a 2007 experiment conducted by the European Space Agency, 3,000 water bears survived in space's vacuum for over a week.
While tardigrades are not truly immortal (with lifespans ranging from two weeks to 100 years), their extraordinary ability to survive extreme conditions has amazed even the most composed scientists in Israel.
5. Nikola Tesla Had a Vision to Supply Free, Wireless Power Across the Globe
Nikola Tesla was an extraordinary genius, far ahead of his time. Though largely misunderstood during his life, he is now known for his pioneering work with Alternating Current (A.C.), his rivalry with Thomas Edison, and for inspiring the development of cutting-edge electric cars. His experiments in Colorado Springs, where he designed the Tesla Coils and demonstrated the ability to wirelessly light up bulbs, were just a precursor to his grand vision.
With the financial support of J.P. Morgan, Tesla oversaw the construction of the monumental 187-foot Wardenclyffe Tower, which was anchored 300 feet into the soil of New York. This engineering marvel was designed to transmit power freely across the planet. However, the project faced financial difficulties, and as Morgan feared the economic consequences of free energy, he refused to continue funding. The tower was left incomplete and was ultimately demolished in 1917.
“This is no mere dream,” Tesla declared. “It is a straightforward demonstration of electrical engineering, albeit costly—an unsophisticated, timid, and skeptical world!”
4. Medical Errors Rank as the Third Leading Cause of Death in the U.S.
The CDC’s list of major causes of death includes heart disease, cancer, accidents, and respiratory illnesses at the forefront. However, medical mistakes are conspicuously absent. If deaths caused by medical errors were accurately recorded, they would consistently rank as the third most common cause of death each year.
A John Hopkins study reveals that over 250,000 people in the U.S. die annually due to medical mistakes. Other reports, such as one from Dr. George Stanislaw, suggest 195,000 deaths each year from preventable errors. Some estimates reach as high as 440,000 avoidable deaths annually. The discrepancy in figures arises because medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and coroners, seldom acknowledge the human errors or systemic failures that contribute to these fatalities. This lack of acknowledgment complicates the accuracy of mortality statistics, as the CDC relies on death certificates for compiling death counts. The authors of the John Hopkins study, led by Dr. Martin Makary, define death from medical error as one caused by inadequate staffing, errors in judgment or treatment, systemic flaws, or preventable adverse effects.
“The leading causes of death, as reported by the CDC, guide our nation’s research priorities and public health funding,” says Makary. “Currently, cancer and heart disease receive substantial focus, but because medical errors are not included in the list, the issue lacks the funding and attention it desperately needs.”
3. Incandescent Light Bulbs Produced a Century Ago Lasted Far Longer Than Modern Versions
Have you ever heard of the Phoebus Cartel? They were the ones who pioneered the idea of 'planned obsolescence' in their business practices. They deliberately designed their products to fail prematurely, making you purchase replacements more frequently. In 1924, the top light bulb manufacturers of the time united to form the Swiss company, the Phoebus Cartel.
The cartel, made up of former competitors such as Philips, Osram, Tungsram, ELIN, and General Electric, colluded to manipulate prices and restrict competition by monopolizing the market. They even altered their products, creating bulbs that would wear out faster, thus increasing both price and demand. Before 1924, light bulbs typically lasted for 2,500 hours or more. Some of these early bulbs even lasted over a century. However, the Phoebus Cartel reduced the lifespan of bulbs to an average of 1,000 hours, a standard we are still stuck with today, a hundred years later.
2. Seventy Percent of Americans Are Lacking Sufficient Vitamin D
Whether you get your Vitamin D through food or from sun exposure, you’re probably not getting enough of it. The term 'Vitamin D' is actually a bit misleading, as it acts more like a hormone than a vitamin. Once in the body, it’s converted into a steroid hormone known as calcitriol, which plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, including bone density, muscle growth, immune system health, aging, and even boosting your mood.
The Endocrine Society defines vitamin D deficiency as a blood serum level under 20ng/ml, but anything below 30ng/ml is considered insufficient and could lead to noticeable symptoms. Surprisingly, a meta-analysis of multiple studies reveals that the global average vitamin D level is approximately 20ng/ml. In the United States, about 70% of people have levels below 30ng/ml. Vitamin D serum levels have decreased in recent years, possibly due to increased sunscreen use, reduced outdoor activity, and rising obesity rates. Given the global pandemic, it’s particularly concerning that we are deficient in a hormone essential for a robust immune system.
It’s important to note that individuals with darker skin living in northern, sun-deprived regions are at a significantly higher risk of vitamin D deficiency.
1. Radiometric Dating is Not 100% Accurate
Radiometric dating determines the age of rocks by measuring the decay of radioactive elements contained within them. These elements decay into more stable forms at a predictable rate. This method is commonly used to estimate the age of objects or materials older than roughly 50,000 B.C., which is considered the limit of reliable Carbon-14 dating. If radiometric dating could be expressed as an equation, it would look like this: Decay Rate + Backward Calculations = Rock Age.
One limitation of this method lies in the assumptions built into the analysis. For instance, it’s assumed that the decay rate of radioactive elements trapped in rocks remains consistent from the moment the rock formed. This assumption presupposes that no external factors have altered the rock’s radioactive properties and that the rock’s original conditions were typical. We now know that these ideal conditions are rare, so a more accurate geological assessment requires an understanding of both the observational science (like decay rates) and historical science (like the rock's initial conditions).
