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.

People Who Swear More Are Less Articulate myth

Swearing isn't a sign of a limited vocabulary or ability to articulate. Generally, the more words people know, the more swear words they know.

History Disproves the Birth of Jesus Story myth

The Bible presents two seemingly conflicting stories about the birth of Jesus, but history doesn't exactly disprove them.

Survival of the Fittest, Only the Strong Survive myth

"Survival of the fittest" means that those who are best adapted to their environment thrive and tend to be favored by evolution due to "natural selection". It does not mean that "only the most physically strong or mentally strong thrive".

The Census is Relatively Modern myth

Censuses have been around since ancient Babylon. Historically, a census was a register of people and property used to determine taxes and organize society.

The Average Human Has an Accurate Memory myth

The average human has a limited short-term memory and a fairly inaccurate long-term memory. This is due to the way we process, encode, and recall memories.

People Can Multitask Effectively myth

People can't multitask effectively. Giving simultaneous attention to tasks, or alternating and dividing attention between tasks, reduces the performance of at least one task.

Diamond is the Hardest Natural Substance myth

Diamond is the most common of the naturally occurring "hardest" substances, but Q-carbon, wurtzite BN, lonsdaleite, ultrahard fullerene, graphene, and carbyne are all harder.

Pong Was the First Arcade Video Game myth

Computer Space became the first mass produced arcade video game in 1971. It was released the year before it's creators formed Atari and created Pong

Thoughts Can Create Reality myth

Our thoughts can shape our inner reality and outward perceptions of things (neuroplasticity), but to affect or create a reality outside ourselves, we must interact with the world and communicate our thoughts.

Caesar Said “Et tu, Brute?” myth

Evidence suggests Julius Caesar may have said a variation of the phrase, "Et tu, Brute?" preceding his assassination. However, the quote is from Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar".