20 popular scientific myths are debunked the scientists themselves

Scientific journal LiveScience held a poll among its readers to find out what kind of myths are most popular, and then asked scientists to comment on them. The site publishes otvety.Kuritsa can live without a head - pravda



Indeed, a few minutes after the chicken chop off her head, she "lives". She may even try to run and fly. This is due to the fact that sometimes, losing his head, chicken keeps the brain stem, which is responsible for most of the reflexes. Known proven fact that a strong individual lived without a head and a half years. So now it is clear from the expression went, "brainless chicken" - the head of the "neptitse" life is not necessary.

Water crater in the southern hemisphere of the Earth rotates in the other direction than in the north - lozh



Earth's rotation is not enough to influence the direction of flow of water, even in the smallest shell. As you can see on personal experience, the movement and shape of the funnel water in the sink depends on the characteristics of "relief", and certainly not from global causes. Life and real science is very prosaic.

The human brain is only 10% - lozh



This misconception There is already almost a century. Fortunately, or maybe, and unfortunately, it is not. These magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrate that a large part of the cerebral cortex actively involved in human life. Proceedings of our head, even when we sleep. So believe in false prophets promise that in the future people will be able to use the brain completely and then happiness will come all at once, it is not necessary. It is better to think his head.

In space there is no gravity - lozh



This misconception seems to blame the popular expression "zero gravity" and "weightlessness". Gravity is everywhere, the force of gravity acts equally on all people. Astronauts in orbit floating in zero gravity just because constantly falling with his ship to Earth. They do so only in a horizontal plane. Gravity decreases with distance, but it will never disappear completely. And, incidentally, it is not true and misleading, that the space vacuum. In fact interstellar space is filled with all sorts of atoms and particles, the distance between them just a bit more than on Earth.

Eat a bagel with poppy seeds - almost the same as it ku * op * mind - almost pravda



Ironically in this statement is the truth. Although bun with poppy seeds does not give you those happy moments relaxed euphoria that get ku ilschiki op * * mind, problems with bunks * okontrolem may arise. If after a while, after people eat two buns with poppy seeds, to take his blood sample, test op * Ata is likely to be positive.

Coin thrown from a skyscraper kill a man - lozh



The usual coin is not the perfect weapon in terms of aerodynamics. Because of the wind and air resistance, which is unfortunate for such a form, it will be very large, coin, even abandoned skyscraper Empire State, and it is almost 380 meters, will not cause a person any significant injury. So if you have decided to deal with his ill-wisher such exotic way, better take a trifle to buy bricks.

The growth of brain cells in the adult stops - lozh



Although the most active human brain grows and passes the basic stages of formation was at an early age, cell division ceases and adults. Studies show that neurons successfully grow and change until his death. So nerves are restored, and the odds are at all smarter.

Chicken broth can cure the common cold - almost pravda



That cure a cold chicken broth, of course, impossible. But scientists still support adults who force their children to absorb sick chicken broth. In it, the studies show that contains substances with anti-inflammatory properties that help stop the spread of the disease. Therefore, no matter what you think, Mom was right.

Yawn "contagious" - rather pravda



Experience has shown that when one person starts to yawn, it "infects" it all around. It is difficult to say whether this is true from a scientific point of view, but some anthropologists believe that the reflex to repeat the blunders neighbor stayed with us from the apes. We know that chimpanzees are very fond of each other to mimic yawning. That is, yawning after a neighbor, we just subconsciously mimic it.

Lightning never hits the same place twice - dangerous lozh



In fact, just the opposite. Lightning just has its "preferences." We all know that lightning often hits the hill. So hide from lightning under a tree, in the which has just been struck by lightning is not necessary. For example, in the skyscraper Empire State lightning strikes an average of 25 times a year.

Men think about sex every 7 seconds - more lozh



Of course, thinking about reproduction - it is inherent in the nature of human instinct. But scientific test how often visit such a man of thought, of course, impossible. But judging by the sociological research, every 7 seconds - it is still an exaggeration.

Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death - lozh



After the death of all the processes in the human body stops almost immediately. Including the growth of hair and nails. This misconception is caused by a simple optical illusion. After the death of the human body loses a lot of fluid, the skin shrinks, exposed nails, hair look longer.

The dog's mouth is cleaner than a human mouth - compare nelzya



Despite the fact that dogs love to stick their nose and tongue in places that can not be called clean, it is believed that in the mouth of the dog more sterile than a human mouth. In fact, a set of bacteria living in the mouth in different species, so different that it is impossible to compare simply. So the dog is cleaner, it is just different.

If you run in the rain, then smaller moknesh - mathematical pravda



A number of mathematical equations developed specifically to describe the process, proves that this is more true. If you run more risk to ruin the suit, because most of the front of the torso gets wet. When walking in the city measured acid rain is your biggest risk to hair because it is the head suffers the most in this mode of transport.

Raised within five seconds, not considered to have fallen - absurd lozh



This is so absurd that few people seriously believe in it, but just in case, we recall that conducted tests show that harmful bacteria get on any subject falling on the ground immediately at the first contact.

Animals can predict natural disasters - more lozh



No reliable evidence of the animal "sixth sense" is not. But excellent sense of smell, hearing and vision, as well as the innate instincts, developed better than the people who make it possible to quickly determine an animal dangerous. In addition, the animals will never be out of curiosity staring at an oncoming hurricane or tsunami. Nevertheless, during natural disasters killed many animals. So, even if the "sixth sense" in animals is, much good it does not bring them. (However, during the last tsunami was very small dead animals).

Great Wall of China - the only man-made object visible from space - lozh



There are different variations of this statement, but they are all equally false. The astronauts could see the low orbit of a set of objects created by man. For example, the Egyptian pyramids, or even the runways of major airports. Actually see the Chinese wall, without knowing exactly where it is much more difficult than many other objects. And to see the wall from the moon can not be sure.

The change of seasons is due to changes in the distance of the Earth from the Sun - lozh



Changing the distance from Earth to the sun, what is happening with the movement of the planet in its orbit, it has little effect on the temperature on Earth. It's all in the angle of inclination of the Earth's axis relative to the sun, which, changing affects the change of seasons. It's simple, but it is still not clear.

Chewing gum is digested in the stomach 7 years - adult lozh



Of course, rework gum is somewhat more complicated than organic foods, but our body is not impossible. So chewy candy just as ordinary food is digested and excreted. Most likely, this error appeared with a light hand the strict adult.

via factroom.ru