Top 10 Common Misconceptions

After the success of our exploration into historical myths, we bring you another list—featuring the top 10 common misconceptions. Don’t hesitate to add your own thoughts in the comments section.

10. Napoleon was surprisingly short

The origins of the rumor that Napoleon was unusually short (and thus needed to overcompensate by waging wars and conquering Europe) lie in a mix-up between the old French foot measurement and Imperial (British) feet. When he was measured shortly after his death in 1821, Napoleon was noted as being 5ft 2in in French feet, which converts to 5ft 6.5in in Imperial feet, or 1.69 meters. This height actually placed him slightly above the average Frenchman of the 19th century. Additionally, Napoleon's nickname, 'le petit caporal,' further fueled the misconception, as non-French speakers misinterpreted ‘petit’ as referring to his stature, when in reality it was a term of endearment that reflected his close bond with regular soldiers.

Despite their name, Danish pastries actually originated in Austria, drawing inspiration from Turkish baklava. The name comes from Danish chef L.C. Klitteng, who made them popular in Western Europe and the United States in the early 20th century, even baking them for US President Woodrow Wilson’s wedding in 1915. In Denmark and much of Scandinavia, they are known as ‘Viennese Bread.’

During the 2006 Islamic cartoon controversy, Danish pastries were renamed ‘Roses of the Prophet Muhammad’ in Iran due to their association with the country involved in the issue.

We’ve all seen the cartoons where a meteor plummets to Earth (becoming a meteorite) glowing red-hot with smoke trailing in all directions. In reality, small meteorites are actually cold when they strike Earth—many are even found with frost on them. Having spent billions of years in the near–absolute zero temperatures of space, the interior of a meteorite is freezing. While the meteor’s high speed melts its outer layer, any molten material quickly gets blown off, and the core remains cold since rocks are poor heat conductors. Additionally, atmospheric drag can slow smaller meteors down to terminal velocity before they hit the ground, allowing them to cool off.

Another common misconception fueled by cartoons: Toilet water does NOT spin in a specific direction depending on which hemisphere you’re in. This effect only happens in massive weather systems like hurricanes, where the Earth’s rotation influences the movement. So, there you go.

Bats possess normal eyesight, though they are extremely sensitive to light and can be overwhelmed by brightness. They also rely on echolocation in darker environments or when their vision doesn't serve them well.

An intriguing concept, but it's not accurate. While chameleons may appear to shift colors to blend into their environment, their color changes are actually a reflection of their physical state and emotional condition. Chameleons are naturally camouflaged, but their color shifts are often tied to their mood or used as a form of communication. For instance, a frightened chameleon may turn black.

Does it sound unbelievable? This myth gained so much traction on the Internet that it sparked a nearly fanatical debate. So much so, in fact, that a scientist took time out of his busy schedule – probably not curing cancer, but still, a noteworthy task – to investigate. Trevor Cox from the University of Salford, England, put the myth to rest by confirming what any reasonable person already knew: a duck's quack DOES echo.

He tested the quack in a reverberation chamber and indeed, concluded that a duck's quack echoes, though the echo is faint due to the decay of the sound. Cheers to science!

“We were convinced that the people need and require this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not merely with a few theoretical declarations: we have stamped it out.” – Adolf Hitler, Berlin, 1933

Christianity – a religion often described as one of peace and tolerance, teaching moral values and love for one's enemies. However, historically speaking, this hasn't always been true, though the fault typically lies more with the followers than the teachings themselves. With over a billion adherents globally, can we really assume that every person who identifies as Christian is a virtuous, holy, and moral individual?

One of the harshest criticisms of both Hitler and atheism is the claim that Hitler, being an atheist, had no moral compass, thus enabling him to kill without remorse. In reality, Hitler was not an atheist; he was born a Roman Catholic, though his actual level of religious devotion is a subject of debate. What is undeniable is that Hitler was a profoundly evil man, and his religion—or lack thereof—had no bearing on his wicked character.

In Mein Kampf, Hitler expressed nostalgia for his experiences at church festivals, and as the head of the Nazi Party, frequently referenced the glory of Christianity in his speeches. He even brought up Jesus' death at the hands of the Jews, attempting to stir anti-Semitic emotions among his predominantly religious followers. Despite adopting various aspects of Catholic hierarchy, liturgy, and symbolism, he was privately critical of Catholicism. In fact, Hitler leaned more toward Protestantism because of its openness to interpretation. Additionally, he mocked occultism and the neo-Paganism that had gained popularity in Germany during his time.

Ironically, Hitler held a deep admiration for Islam, stating, 'the Mohammedan religion too would have been much more compatible to us than Christianity. Why did it have to be Christianity with its meekness and flabbiness?'

A common but inaccurate interpretation of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection is that Darwin claimed humans evolved directly from chimpanzees. This is a misrepresentation; Darwin never made such a claim, and no credible biologist would support this idea. The myth was perpetuated by religious zealots in the 19th century in an effort to discredit Darwin and promote anti-evolution sentiments within religious communities. In reality, humans and chimpanzees are close relatives, sharing about 94% of their DNA, and both evolved from a common ancestor, believed to be Sahelanthropus tchadensis, roughly 7 million years ago.

'Just desserts'? Does that even make sense in this context? The proper phrase is actually 'just deserts', and don't feel bad if you didn’t know that—you're not alone, and even someone far more knowledgeable than you might have missed it. The confusion arises from the rarely used noun form of the verb 'to deserve'; something earned or deserved is referred to as a 'desert' (pronounced like 'dessert'). It's unclear when the original term was replaced, but it likely happened due to clever restaurant owners using 'Just Desserts' as a pun, causing the phrase to catch on while the original term was forgotten.

Contributor: JT