Buzz
This collection highlights science-themed trivia and anecdotes that are widely known and frequently shared. However, at List Universe, we prioritize accuracy – and every item on this list is completely incorrect! Dive into our detailed refutation of some of the most absurd so-called scientific facts.
10. Peenuts
Myth: Research on peanuts in bars allegedly detected traces of more than 100 distinct types of urine.
After extensive research, it appears no scientific or non-scientific study has ever examined peanuts in bars. However, a 2003 study on ice cubes in UK bars revealed that 44% of tested ice contained coliform bacteria, which originates from human feces. Even more alarming, 5% were contaminated with the potentially lethal E. Coli bacteria. This suggests the ice wasn’t made from bottled water. So, next time you’re in London, skip the ice and opt for peanuts instead.
9. Elevator Freefall
Myth: Elevators can or have caused fatalities when their cables snapped.
While there’s a kernel of truth here, let’s clarify. Elevators typically have at least four cables, along with a built-in braking system and a secondary safety mechanism in the shaft that activates to prevent rapid descents. Even if all cables were to snap (which is highly unlikely given their strength), the elevator’s braking system would detect the free fall and engage automatically. If that fails, the shaft’s backup system takes over. The only recorded instance of a complete elevator free fall occurred in 1945 when a plane crashed into the Empire State Building, weakening the cables. The elevator passenger, Betty Lou Oliver, survived the 75-floor fall due to air pressure beneath the car.
8. Folding Paper
Myth: It’s impossible to fold a sheet of paper in half more than seven times.
This is a commonly repeated claim, and many believe it after attempting it themselves. However, in 2002, a high school student named Britney Gallivan disproved this by folding a thin sheet of gold leaf more than seven times using tweezers. To further demonstrate, she purchased a large roll of toilet paper online and, with her family, took it to a local mall. After seven hours of effort, they successfully folded it 12 times.
7. Jumping Elephants
Myth: Elephants are the sole mammals incapable of jumping.
While it’s true that adult elephants cannot jump—if jumping is defined as propelling oneself off the ground with all feet simultaneously—they are not alone in this limitation. Other mammals, such as sloths, also lack the ability to jump, which aligns well with their slow-paced lifestyle. Additionally, rhinoceroses and hippopotamuses cannot jump either, though they can momentarily have all four feet off the ground when running.
6. Old Dogs
Myth: One dog year equals seven human years.
This misleading calculation is often used to equate a dog’s lifespan to a human’s, but the math doesn’t hold up. The average human lifespan is 78 years, while the average dog’s lifespan, using this flawed formula, would be around 90 years. Additionally, life expectancies vary significantly among dog breeds, ranging from as short as 6 years to 13 or more years (smaller dogs generally live longer). Dogs also experience a brief childhood and an extended middle age, making the comparison entirely inaccurate.
5. Offer To Buy
Myth: If a product is advertised at the wrong price, the seller is legally obligated to sell it at that price.
This is a widely believed myth, and I’ve even witnessed heated arguments about it in stores. However, the truth is far less exciting. A store’s price tag is considered an “invitation to bargain,” not a binding offer to sell. This principle applies in the United States, the United Kingdom, Commonwealth countries, and most of the Western world. If a store makes a pricing error, they can simply correct it and sell the item at the intended price. Fraudulent pricing practices are addressed under separate consumer protection laws. That said, if an electronic transaction is finalized, you might be entitled to keep the item if a pricing error occurs.
4. Space Dust
Myth: NASA created the DustBuster.
First, consider this: how do you vacuum in the vacuum of space? You don’t, so why would NASA need a vacuum cleaner for space missions? They didn’t. What they needed was a compact, battery-powered drill, leading them to collaborate with Black and Decker to develop the ideal tool. After the device was created, Black and Decker utilized the technology to invent the DustBuster and other handy household gadgets.
3. The Great Wall
Myth: The Great Wall of China is the sole manmade structure visible from space.
This claim is incorrect on multiple levels. First, from a distance close enough to Earth to see the Great Wall, you can also spot road networks and other large human-made structures. In reality, there’s no vantage point in space where only the Great Wall is visible. Once you’re a few thousand miles away, no manmade objects are discernible. As astronaut Alan Bean noted:
“From the moon, the only visible features are Earth’s natural beauty—mostly white clouds, blue oceans, yellow deserts, and occasional green vegetation. No manmade structures are visible at this scale. Even from just a few thousand miles away, no human-made objects can be seen.”
2. McDonald’s Wars
Myth: Countries with McDonald’s franchises have never gone to war with each other.
This idea, introduced by Thomas Friedman, gained widespread popularity globally. It suggested that nations embracing democracy (and thus likely to have McDonald’s) coexisted peacefully due to the virtues of democratic systems (also known as the Democratic Peace Theory or Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Resolution). Friedman presented this in his book *The Lexus and the Olive Tree*. However, the theory doesn’t hold. For instance, Georgia and Russia, both with McDonald’s, engaged in conflict. Similarly, Israel and Lebanon’s 2006 war and NATO’s bombing of Serbia shortly after the book’s publication further debunked this claim.
1. Polar Bears
Myth: Polar bears are left-handed.
The origin of this myth is shrouded in mystery, but its prevalence is astonishing, with countless online sources treating it as fact. However, researchers who have dedicated their careers to studying polar bears have discovered that these animals are ambidextrous, meaning they use both paws equally. It’s possible the myth arose when observers noticed polar bears skillfully using their left paws but failed to recognize their equal proficiency with the right.
