Myths

For our purposes: Myths are commonly held beliefs or ideas that are false. For a claim to be considered a myth one or more parts of it must be proved false. Other definitions of myth, such as those pertaining to the not false-but-allegorical stories we tell to explain things, are discussed on our “what is a myth?” page.

Below is a collection of all factoids rated “myth” (as in “not true or not fully true”) by our authors.  If you disagree or have more evidence to support a claim consider commenting. See our list of facts here.

Glass Can Be a Liquid myth

Glass, in any form, is not a liquid or a supercooled liquid, and it does not "flow" in its solid state. Glass is considered an amorphous solid, or just "glass."

Fluoride is Bad For You myth

Fluoride is a name for several fluorine compounds. Fluoride is good for oral hygiene in small doses, but extremely dangerous and toxic in large doses.

There is a “Plastic Garbage Island” in the Ocean myth

There is no visible "plastic island," or "garbage patch" in the ocean. Instead, large low-density patches of plastic particles are caught in the ocean's major gyres below the water's surface.

432 Hz is Better than 440 Hz myth

It's theorized that using a starting pitch of A=432 Hz and a "just intonation" tuning method (scientific tuning) is more natural and mathematically symmetric than using A=440 Hz and "equal temperament" tuning (concert tuning).

Einstein Wrote ‘E=mc^2’ in His Famous Paper myth

Einstein’s 1905 paper on mass-energy equivalence doesn’t actually say ‘E=mc^2‘ it says, roughly, ‘m=L/c^2‘.

Raw Vegetables are Healthier Than Cooked Vegetables myth

Only some vegetables are better for you raw than they are cooked. It depends on the specific vegetable, cooking method, and the person.

3D is a New Technology myth

3D was invented in 1838, predating photographs. Stereoscopic cameras were popular in WWII, and many 3D images and videos remain intact today.

The Dark Side of the Moon Is Always Dark myth

The "Dark Side" of the moon is not actually dark. Every month, it gets two weeks of sunlight and two weeks of darkness, just like the rest of the moon.

Infinity is a Number myth

Infinity (∞) isn't a number, it's a concept. It describes something that can't be expressed by a "finite" natural or real number.

Shaving Hair Affects Hair Color or Growth myth

Shaving hair doesn't affect color, or growth rate. "Live" hair follicles are under the skin; the hair that grows above the skin is dead hair.