15 Things a Typical Texan Thinks TRUE, but are Totally FALSE
After quizzing Buzz about commonly held beliefs that are false I wondered how many other El Paso, Texans might not know about these common misconceptions.
Misconceptions: False Facts, or Fake News
We often hear certain statements from friends, family, or even ill-informed radio hosts, and accept them as true without question.
However, many of the common sayings your mama told you are actually false.
Here are fifteen things you may have believed to be true because that's what abuelita says, but are actually not true because she didn't have Google:
1. Gum stays in your stomach for seven years.
In reality, gum typically passes through the digestive system in a few days.
2. Spinach has lots of iron.
While spinach is a healthy vegetable, it doesn't actually contain as much iron as was once believed.
3. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.
While Bell was instrumental in the development of the telephone, there were other inventors working on similar devices at the time.
4. Masturbation will make you go blind.
This claim has no scientific basis and is entirely false.
5. Wait to swim after you eat.
There is no evidence to support the idea that eating after swimming is harmful.
6. Eyes will stay crossed.
While crossing your eyes for extended periods of time can cause temporary discomfort, it won't cause your eyes to become permanently crossed.
7. If you sit too close to the TV, you'll go blind.
While sitting too close to the TV can cause eye strain, it won't damage your eyes permanently.
8. We lose most of our body heat through our heads.
This myth likely originated from a flawed study and has been debunked. We actually lose heat from all parts of our body.
9. Different parts of the tongue detect different tastes.
While it was once thought that the tongue had different "taste zones," this idea has been debunked.
10. Deoxygenated blood is blue.
Blood that is low in oxygen is actually a darker shade of red, not blue.
11. We only have five senses.
While we commonly think of sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell as our five senses, we actually have many more senses, including balance, temperature, and pain.
12. Baby birds are abandoned by mothers if they're touched.
on Unsplash
This is a myth. Most birds have a poor sense of smell and won't abandon their young if they've been touched by humans.
13. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth.
While Mount Everest is the tallest mountain above sea level, Mauna Kea in Hawaii is actually the tallest mountain when measured from its base.
14. Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.
This myth has been debunked. Cracking your knuckles is simply the sound of gas bubbles popping in the fluid surrounding your joints.
15. Nails and hair continue to grow after we die.
This is a myth. After we die, our skin and hair may appear to continue growing due to dehydration and the shrinking of tissues around them.
It's important to question what we hear and not accept everything at face value, according to Buzz Adams at least.
By taking the time to investigate claims and facts, everyone can gain a better understanding of the world, and the fake news radio DJs all around us.
UP NEXT: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving
More From Mix 97.9 FM
