Thomas DeMichele, Author at Fact / Myth

Most Sushi is Previously Frozen Fact

Most types of fish eaten raw have to be frozen to kill parasites before being served in the US according to the FDA. Meanwhile, “sushi grade” is fish that can be eaten raw. So most sushi grade fish is previously frozen in the US.

Social Distancing Can Combat the Spread of Communicable Diseases Fact

Communicable diseases spread from one person to another. Thus, social distancing can combat the spread of communicable diseases like the flu or coronavirus.

Bonsai Trees Are Actually Trees Fact

Even though some other plant types are used for Bonsai, Bonsai trees are actually trees that have been grown and shaped to look like miniature trees. Any tree species can be used to grow a Bonsai tree.

A Small Object Like a Penny Dropped From High Enough Can Kill Someone Myth

Due to the way terminal velocity caps the maximum speed that something can fall, a small and light object like a penny will never gain enough speed to kill someone regardless from how high it is dropped from.

Scorpion Venom is the Most Expensive Liquid in the World Fact

Scorpion Venom is the most expensive liquid in the world costing up to $39 million a gallon. Like other expensive liquids such as penicillin, insulin, patchouli, human blood, cobra venom, and horseshoe crab blood, scorpion venom has medicinal uses.

There Are YouTube Videos With Zero Views Fact

There are videos on YouTube with zero views, the implication being that not even the creator of the video watched the video.

The Statue of Liberty is a Lighthouse Fact

The Statue of Liberty is technically lighthouse, and was even at one point even under the operation of the Lighthouse Board. However, it never properly functioned as a lighthouse.

MIDI Still Uses Version 1.0 Fact

MIDI (the communications protocol for musical instruments), despite being standardized in 1983, still uses version 1.0.

The Equal Rights Amendment Was Never Ratified Fact

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) has yet to be ratified despite being introduced in 1923 and passed by Congress on March 22, 1972. In order to become a constitutional amendment only one more state needs to ratify the ERA.

We See Everything Upside Down Fact

The lens of the eye casts an upside down imagine onto our retina and then our brains take these two upside down images at slightly different perspectives (one per eye) and creates a single right-side up image.