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The scientific community is constantly trying to expose its own mistakes — after all, what is a statement worth if it's never been the subject of scrutiny? However, no matter how hard it tries, some people just don't listen.
Recently, Redditor Jimbo_Jigs asked other platform users to share some myths and misconceptions that many still believe to be true, and they got what they asked for. Not just the classic "vaccines cause autism." Continue scrolling and check out the replies.
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#1
That vaccines cause autism.
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#2
Personal carbon footprint or any green initiative which focuses on individual action. BP invented the entire concept during a marketing push to hide the fact that like ~72 companies produce 90% of pollution.
#3
The earth being flat. We have literally done studies, taken pictures, boiled all of that down to the level that a kindergartener can understand it, and some idiots still don't get it.
Fred Van Der Zee 2 years ago
The proof that earth is a globe is that if it were flat, cats would have pushed everything over the edge already.
#4
To answer the question, vaccines being anything but safe and effective is a hoax that some people believe.
Vaccines are *by far* the medical intervention best-supported by evidence. Tens of billions of vaccines given to billions of people over the course of multiple centuries have proven them to be safe and effective. If you trust *any* part of medicine, you should trust vaccines.
I would hazard a guess that vaccines have saved more lives than every other medical intervention combined.
Mohsie Supposie 2 years ago (edited)
Vaccines are nothing but literally TRAINING for an individual's own immune system! Being anti-vaxx is like saying you don't believe in Training!
#5
Detox.
B******t, b******t, b******t.
What do you think your liver and kidneys are doing all day? If they weren’t working you would be on a form of detox called dialysis.
edit: To clarify since it might not be obvious, I’m referring to pseudoscience detox teas and pills. Not medically justified detoxification like opioids, alcohol, acetaminophen, etc…
#6
The case of the woman who sued mcdonalds because she spilled hot coffee on herself. The hoax was that it was a frivolous lawsuit, that she was driving while drinking and she spilled the coffee on herself and just didn't like it and sued mcdonalds and won a lot of money. But the reality was that she wasn't driving, the coffee was extremely hot, people had already complained it was too hot, I don't remember how she spilled the coffee, but anyway after spilling just a bit of it on her leg, she got severe burns on her leg and had to go to the hospital and go to the ER. If she had drunk that she could have suffered much more harm. All she wanted was for mcdonalds to pay for her hospital bill, they didn't, and she sued them and won. Then either mcdonalds or it was a corporation that represented a bunch of corporations spread the hoax that some clumsy woman sued and won a lot of money because she spilled her coffee.
#7
The Big Lie. The United States election for president was not rigged. There was no fraud in the voting process.
Beth Bartel 2 years ago
1. There is only one election referenced when using the term "Big Lie", and that's discussing 45 and his allegations that he actually won. 2. Notice that 45 only says he was impacted and not anyone else who lost the election that year. 3. There have been more recent local and state elections since then.
#8
"Catching a cold" from cold weather. It's a pathogen. You catch it from people.
Though disease does increase in the winter. It's commonly thought to be due to close quarters indoors and less Vitamin D from the sun, important for the immune system.
#10
Crystals. They are just f*****g rocks. There is no scientific evidence proving that they have healing effect. Any possible effects are due to the placebo effect. People will actually go against medical advice because they think holding a crystal will fix all their problems.
Joey Van Den Brom 2 years ago
However, for some people believing in something will make them feel better.
#11
Scientology
Edit: Scientologists are programmed to reply to this with "dOn'T yOu MeAn ALL ReLiGiOnS?" and try to do the all lives matter thing when someone says black lives matter to dilute the message.
It's the internet age, cultists. We researched your tactics to put yourself on equal footing with actual religions. You are programmed by NLP, get help.
#12
Homeopathy. It's water.
Jrog 2 years ago (edited)
The "power" of homeopathic... stuff ('cause it's NOT medication) is measured in "Centesimal dilutions", or CH. Even conceding the active principles used works (they don't), at 12 CH statistically there is not a single atom of the principle in a liter of water. At 30 CH (the dilution commonly used for flu "medication") you can expect to have a single atom of active principle every 10 BILLIONS BILLIONS (10^18) liters of water. That is roughly the volume of the Indian Ocean to have ONE SINGLE ATOM of active principle.
#13
That using a tampon can take away a females virginity. It’s crazy that people still believe that myth even though it’s been busted many years ago.
There is not enough evidence that it can take away an individuals virginity. It shouldn’t even matter if your child is a virgin or not. You should love your child no matter what.
Your child should be able to have the right to use tampons when they’re on their period. Not everyone wants to miss out from a chance of going swimming, and not everyone wants to wear a diaper everyday for 7 days straight.
#14
That cows just produce milk naturally without being impregnated and giving birth first.
they are simply mammals, and produce milk for the sole purpose of feeding their young.
#15
MLMs, Boss babes, "be your own boss" scams.
I'm not sure how many documentaries need to be put on YouTube before people will stop buying into these companies and wasting their money.
#16
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. They're all equally as important, Kellogg just convinced everyone of that to sell more cereal.
#17
That MSG is bad for you.
I meet people regularly that think it's a super insta-cancer ingredient that will cause you to die or something based on 80s/90s false scares. Then I tell them "you do know it naturally occurs on tomatoes, yes?"
Suzanne Tilson 2 years ago
So I can keep my instant noodles. Was worried I'd have to toss the lot
#19
That GMOs cause cancer. Literally no evidence to prove this. Everything that has gone through evolution or adaptation is GMO.
Now there are issues with monoculture, but that's a whole different discussion.
Ange Marsden 2 years ago
We'd be screwed if GMOs caused cancer because 99% of the veges we buy today have been genetically modified of the last 10,000 years...
#21
People simply *giving away* drugs or edibles on Halloween. As if.
Adam Williams 2 years ago
Now remember kids, if someone gives you drugs on Halloween, you say thank you. Because drugs are expensive.
#23
That dogs can only see in black and white. This is false.
#25
Wolf hierarchy with alpha on top and omega at the bottom.
#26
Qanon
#27
That NASA spent billions developing a pen to work in space and the Russians just used a pencil.
Privacy Please 2 years ago
It's true, but the USSR switched to a pen a few years later because graphite particulate matter.
#28
That Kitty Genovese was murdered as people heard her screams and did nothing. To this day people believe in the Bystander Effect.
In fact multiple neighbors called the police. One even went to her to comfort her believing police were on the way and was driven off by the murderer coming back to finish her off.
The New York Times asked the police about it in their reporting, and without checking, believed them that they didn’t get any calls. In fact the police were covering for them badly dropping the ball. If they’d actually responded when the first call came in, Genovese could probably have been saved.
The lazy reporter later became the editor of the New York Times, having eroded a large amount of humanity’s trust in itself.
#29
Isn’t that whole Myers-Briggs personality test recognized as a complete fabrication.
#31
Touching a baby bird will make its parents reject it.
Edited to add: Any baby animal. When in doubt, reach out to your local wildlife rehabilitation network/individual.
#33
Blood in your veins is blue and red in your arteries. Literally every elementary school teacher I had kept this lie going.
#34
Different parts of your tongue don't actually detect different types of taste. Your tongue is the same all over.
#36
Using a cell phone a lot will give you cancer.
The radiation phones give off is harmless. They use radio waves to operate, which many of us here will have been exposed to our entire lives whether or not we use a phone. AM/FM radio causes radio waves to be going through us at all times.
SOURCE: Am currently studying the effects of different kinds of radiation on microorganisms in my microbiology class
Paul Davis 2 years ago
Numerous studies on this topic have all come up showing zero evidence of this being a problem, even the ones not sponsored by cell phone companies. Physical models of the effect of this radiation on proteins and other organic chemicals show it's not even possible to have an effect.
#37
A lot of cryptocurrency scams.
Majority of the suckers often either continue to hold their investments; that was worth less than dirt, or go on to invest in yet another scam.
Adam Chang 2 years ago
Got a call a while ago. Scam: Do you want to invest in cryptocurrency? Me: sure Scam: go to Invest.com Me: how u spell it? Scam: I like in Italy ... (20 minutes later).. Me: no still page not found, I type "invest.comilikeinitalytlikeintomato" Scam: goodbye
#38
That the Great Wall of China is visible from the moon. I swear I even had my history teacher in High School stating that it was true.
#39
That people are “right” or “left” brain thinkers and that it has any bearing on her personality and level of logic or creativity.
Matthew Wilkins 2 years ago
The left and the right brain are definitely different. Watch this - https://youtu.be/wfYbgdo8e-8 - it might blow your mind but which one!
#40
If you pull out a grey hair three more grow in its place, my sister still believes this one.
kathryn stretton 2 years ago (edited)
It's true, though not because you've pulled one out, it's because you're going grey! I know, lol.
#41
That carrots improve your eyesight. I think it was used in the Great British blackout because there was a food shortage and carrots was the easiest thing to get. Don't quote me on that tho.
#42
That Kennedy called himself a jelly doughnut in a speech to Berliners and they all laughed at him. Not true, he was fine using "ich bin ein berliner" there.
#43
Essential oils.
eed_thelast_haw 2 years ago
Well, they don't treat or cure stuff, but can alleviate some symptoms. Some smell great. I usually put some mint oil on my pillow when i have a cold so I don't wake up every hour to inhale the minty stick or whatever it's called. Oils have benefits, but they don't magically heal, just like a massage doesn't cure my bad bones and muscles, but it sure helps with pain. I feel like people with too much time on their hands and money to buy the oils just have nothing better to do than spew s**t like this instead of listening to medical experts, but who knows what that disorder is called anyway? It's just certain that it cannot be "cured" by the oils.
#45
It’s illegal to keep the light on in the car while driving.
What do you think ?
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
Stop believing anyone's uterus is your business. You are killing women. That's all.
Jaden Alexander 2 years ago
Cheetos make good presidents. The amount of people that still believe this is astonishing.
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
Stop believing anyone's uterus is your business. You are killing women. That's all.
Jaden Alexander 2 years ago
Cheetos make good presidents. The amount of people that still believe this is astonishing.
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