Buzz
Technology is everywhere – it's now an indispensable (some might even argue, essential) part of our everyday existence. With the rapid advancement of tech, a variety of misconceptions have emerged. This list highlights ten of the most widespread and clarifies them. If you can think of others that deserve a spot here, feel free to share them in the comments.
10. Mobile Device Surge
Myth: Using a cellphone at a gas station is hazardous
This myth originated from a series of emails circulating online, claiming that explosions at gas stations had been caused by cellphone use. These emails were said to have been sent by Shell Oil, but when questioned, Shell denied any involvement. Moreover, there has never been a confirmed instance of a cellphone causing an explosion at a gas station, and scientific tests have failed to prove the possibility. As Snopes explains, “News reports often link gas pump fires to cellphone use whenever a fire occurs at a station where a phone was in use at the time. Police and firefighters tend to assume the connection is valid.” Despite the lack of evidence, Australia and New Zealand have signs asking customers to turn off their phones, and Cicero, Illinois, has made cellphone use at gas stations illegal. Read the full Snopes article here.
9. The First Transatlantic Flight
Myth: Charles Lindbergh was the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean
Charles Lindbergh was not the first to fly across the Atlantic, although he was the first to do so solo. The first transatlantic flight was completed in stages between May 8 and May 31, 1919, by the crew of the Navy-Curtiss NC-4 flying boat, taking 24 days. The first true non-stop transatlantic flight was made in 1919 by John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown in a modified Vickers Vimy bomber.
8. Take the High Road
Myth: The US Highway system was created to allow planes to land in emergencies
The United States Interstate Highway System was not designed with emergency airplane landings in mind. A widespread myth suggests that every fifth (or tenth) mile of highway was built to be straight and flat to facilitate military or emergency landings, but this is false. However, certain sections of the German and Swiss Autobahn systems were specifically designed to serve as backup military airfields during World War II and the Cold War. [Source]
7. Gutenberg – Our Hero!
Myth: Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press or movable type
Johannes Gutenberg was not the first to create the printing press or movable type; these technologies were already in use in China and Korea long before. Gutenberg was the first European to utilize movable type, and he likely invented it on his own. While his printing press had a more significant impact on Western culture than Eastern, another misconception is that Gutenberg’s first print job was the Latin Vulgate (commonly known as the Gutenberg Bible). While it was in Latin, making it more accessible to the common people, Gutenberg had already printed several Catholic Church documents and papal letters before the Bible. [Source]
6. Cookie Monstrosity
Myth: Web cookies are dangerous and should be avoided
In reality, cookies are simple text files that a website can store on your computer to manage your browsing experience. Unless there is a security vulnerability in your browser, cookies cannot alter or access files or settings on your computer, nor can they run any code. The primary concern with web cookies is their potential to compromise your privacy by tracking some of your browsing activities. On the whole, cookies are quite useful – for instance, they help keep you logged in to your favorite websites, sparing you from entering your login details each time.
5. Macs and Viruses
Myth: Apple Macs don’t get viruses
While it is true that Macs rarely get viruses, it's not entirely virus-free. One example is Macro Viruses, which target Microsoft Word and Excel documents. Since Word and Excel are available for Macs as well, these viruses can potentially affect Macs too (thanks to Microsoft). As of now, Apple acknowledges four potential viruses for Macs, though they are rarely encountered. The reason for the relatively low virus count is the Mac operating system's foundation on a Unix subsystem, which generally prevents average users from running software with the necessary privileges to cause damage.
4. Hitler’s Motorway
Myth: Hitler was the creator of the autobahn
A common belief is that Hitler and the Nazis were behind the creation of Germany's first Autobahn (the world’s first multilane, free public motorway). However, the Autobahn was actually built in 1931 and opened by Konrad Adenauer, the Mayor of Cologne, two years before Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. Interestingly, the first ever motorway (without lanes) was actually the Autostrada dei laghi, inaugurated on September 21, 1924, in Milan, during the reign of Benito Mussolini.
3. The Web / Internet
Myth: The web is the same as the Internet
This is a widely held misconception, likely due to the fact that most people primarily use the web to access the Internet. However, the Internet as we know it began on January 1, 1983, when its predecessor, ARPANET, adopted TCP/IP, the communication protocol that is still in use today. The web, on the other hand, was created by an Englishman named Tim Berners-Lee in 1989. The World Wide Web consists of servers that provide pages and clients (such as Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer) that display those pages. The Internet, however, refers to the underlying technologies that enable the web to exist. Without the Internet, the web would not function, but the Internet would still exist even without the web. Other programs that rely on the Internet but are not related to the web include email, IRC (Internet Relay Chat), instant messaging apps, newsgroups, BitTorrent, telnet, and FTP.
This article is licensed under the GFDL because it contains quotations from Wikipedia.
2. First Video Game
Myth: Pong was the first video game
Many people associate the first video game with Pong, but that’s not entirely accurate. While Pong, a virtual tennis game with paddles and a ball, was invented by Atari in 1972 and became the first commercially successful video game, the roots of gaming go much further back. In fact, two decades earlier, in 1952, a game called OXO (a version of tic-tac-toe) was created for the EDSAC computer. This game was developed by Alexander Douglas as part of his PhD thesis at Cambridge University. It’s remarkable to consider that the first computer game was created nearly sixty years ago!
1. Plane Toilets
Myth: Planes dispose of their toilet waste while flying
Contrary to popular belief, planes do not dump their toilet waste mid-flight. In fact, it’s physically impossible for this to happen unless there’s a catastrophic failure causing the waste tanks to explode, since the valve is located outside the plane. When a plane’s toilet is used, the waste is stored in a special tank. This waste stays in the tank until the plane lands, at which point ground crew members pump it out. So, you don’t need to worry about any airborne waste while flying. As for the distinctive sucking sound from airplane toilets, it’s caused by a vacuum system that allows for flushing with less water, as gravity alone cannot handle the plumbing needs on an aircraft in motion.
