Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses

The tricky thing with beliefs is that we all think ours are correct. When actually, almost everything we believe, at some point in our lives, will eventually be at least partially wrong.

Not only are we often unaware of it, but we also have no idea of how to determine which of our pieces of common knowledge are incorrect. So when someone asked “What is a popular belief that is scientifically proven wrong?” on Ask Reddit, the responses started rolling in one by one.

From thinking that you can catch a cold by being in cold temperatures to the belief that gum gets stuck in your stomach for eternity, here are the most popular beliefs that are very far from true.

We reached out to Audrey Tang, an award-winning book author, psychologist and spokesperson who shared some very interesting insights into how popular beliefs and common knowledge emerge, how they are passed through generations, and how it all comes down to the fact that humans are social creatures. Scroll down for the interview below!

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Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Homosexuality has been proven to be natural. It's not a disease or whatever. It has been observed in hundreds of species.

lovin_da_dix , Brian Kyed Report

Final score:

493points

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“Stories have a way of taking on a life of their own, especially in the landscape of social media,” Audrey said. She explained: “Citations are not always given, elements may be changed as the story moves along, and a little bit like gossip, or the 'broken telephone' – eventually a narrative makes its way into popular belief and often is so removed from the original as to be unrecognizable (and example of this is the oft-cited in leadership posts (especially on LinkedIn).”

More importantly, stories are compelling because they give us a sense of completeness. “Research into false memories has shown that when elements of memory are missing we ‘fill in the gaps’ – and this may not be an accurate account.”

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Torture doesn’t work.

It has never worked. It was proven that torture doesn’t work before America was colonized.

Torture DOES produce confessions, but it doesn’t reveal the truth.

MBergdorf , Wikipedia Report

Final score:

368points

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Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses As a cat lover, it always drives me insane that so many people will automatically give a stray they found milk. Most cats are lactose intolerant.

_Jacket_Slxt_ , Mónika Erdei Report

Final score:

364points

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Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses You don't have to wait 24 hours to call the police to file a missing person's report. Never wait 24 hours. Every hour that passes means you are less likely to find said person. Dead or alive.

MinnieCreations Report

Final score:

349points

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Furthermore, Audrey explained, “We tend to make sense of those gaps based on our world experience at the time – an example of this is, sadly, where a child of divorce may think that a parent left ‘because of them’ – if it has not been explained to them in accessible and understandable language.”

“This is not always the parent’s fault as they too are going through a great deal of emotional upheaval, but dismissing a child’s questions can sometimes lead to the child reconstructing an approximation of what is really going on.”

Related to that, Audrey continues, “When a story resonates with an experience we have been through (or believe we have been through!), we are also more likely to connect with it because of the familiarity.”

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Back in the olden days, people just turned 30 or so and died.

The infant mortality rate was just much higher, but if you made it to adulthood, living to be a senior was not that rare.

maisymowse Report

Final score:

312points

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Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Most dietary information that is widely accepted by the public was from studies that have been proven wrong since the 70s

sgt_taco891 , Wikipedia Report

Final score:

289points

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Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Goldfish have a three second memory.

They don’t and, supposedly, you can even train them to do tricks.

twerkette , pouria oskuie Report

Final score:

278points

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Audrey argues that research suggests that our brains seem better wired to process and recall facts set out as a story rather than facts alone.

“For example, the colors of the rainbow may be remembered using the mnemonic 'Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain,' and similarly, groups of numbers which can be 'chunked' into memorable dates, e.g,. 1066 instead of 1,0,6,6, are better recalled as well.”

And when it comes to popular myths, Audrey suggests that they may occur through people connecting with them and repeating them. “Perhaps if details are changed to suit the storyteller, again, that story takes on even more strength as more people may relate to it and repeat it,” she told Bored Panda.

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses There is an alpha wolf in a pack.

Like the person who made the first claim debunked his own claim, but nobody cared.

Kinjal_Ghosh , Thomas Bonometti Report

Final score:

271points

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Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Used to be a popular belief that if you sit to close to the tv your eyes will go bad. But Ive recently come to realize that children who sit “too close” to the tv might already have poor vision, but cannot communicate it, so when they go get their eyes checked it appears that the causation is them sitting to close to the tv, when it was probably genetics or other factors. Thus causing people to think that the cause was them sitting too close to tv.

justafang , Vidal Balielo Jr. Report

Final score:

265points

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#10

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses You can catch colds from being outside without a hat. Colds are caused by viruses, not cold temperatures

crabbyabbyyy , Kristin Vogt Report

Final score:

246points

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There’s also an explanation for why particular common beliefs disappear while others remain something people believe throughout generations. “Many beliefs that are passed through generations have a strong link with culture and tradition, and even though there may be no reason for engaging with them because they are part of your personal story, you feel connected with it,” Audrey explained.

According to her, Christmas traditions are a lovely example of this: “my own mother-in-law always makes a Christmas Gift Cracker as this was something that she had enjoyed when she was young. Not having children personally, it is not something I will be passing down, but my husband’s cousins might, and thus whenever this tradition plays out, we are reminded of the happy times at Christmas.”

#11

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Most things that tout "detoxifying" properties.

Thefreshestproduce , Alexander Mils Report

Final score:

215points

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#12

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses The belief that sugar causes hyperactivity in children. This belief has been around for decades, but numerous scientific studies have shown that there is no evidence to support it.

Logpoze3 , Rod Long Report

Final score:

198points

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#13

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses We only use 10% of our brain

Key-Wallaby-9276 , Bret Kavanaugh Report

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191points

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On the other hand, sometimes certain beliefs are extremely questionable as society changes, Audrey added. “It is hoped that many rules also change accordingly, or, where that is not possible, that enough people become aware of the original rule, find no basis for it to be true, and create their own, which then grow because of their acceptability in the modern world.”

“A less contentious example, but still a problematic one that is changing, is the view that in some cultures, mental ill health is simply not discussed. As we learn more about mental health diagnoses, cultures become more accepting as to why certain behaviors may be happening and what can be done about it, they blame less and grow more,” Audrey explained.

#14

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Cracking knuckles = arthritis

bigfart99 , Eren Li Report

Final score:

188points

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#15

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses “Fish don’t feel pain” , and simultaneously “Fish do feel pain” are both arguments which ignore centuries of research.

They lack a Neocortex which deems them unable to “process” pain, however they have several nociceptors located around the mouth which allows them to “feel it”. What does this mean? Well nobody actually knows yet, and it is largely open to interpretation. It’s unfathomably hard for us to understand, as we can both feel and process pain. Some scientists describe “acting on instinct” as symptoms of pain when these nociceptors become compromised. Some scientists describe it as just that though, acting on instinct based on what parts of their body are compromised and hence weaker or vulnerable.

For example : You hook and release a bass. That Bass now moves slower, eats a little less, and socializes less. Are these actions the result of the fish acknowledging the compromised nociceptors and acting accordingly while giving itself a chance to heal? Or is the fish genuinely hurting and sad? Research points to both being correct, but neither have enough evidence to prove anything yet.

All we know with certainty is that we don’t have a definite answer supporting either argument, so anyone that leans hard one way or another doesn’t know what they are talking about.

goldieglocks16 , FOX Report

Final score:

175points

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#16

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses That if you shave it’ll grow back longer and thicker

confusedgoofball , Supply Report

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166points

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The Minister of Digital Affairs of Taiwan also argues that often, “a little bit like social media hashtags, the enduring narratives are those which resonate closely with the zeitgeist at the time, such as #metoo.”

Moreover, endorsements from celebrities can make a difference as well. “Not only does research show that celebrity endorsements are more likely to make you believe a certain thing, but to also not check it for credibility.”

Audrey explained that inviting a psychologist to comment on an article and adding the phrase “backed by science” can do the same thing. “As I always say – 'backed by science,' says NOTHING about the reliability, validity or even relevance of the research as a whole, nor the population it was based on.”

#17

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Hiding under a highway overpass is actually not a good way to survive a tornado.

It has been scientifically proven that the wind gets concentrated and the speeds increase underneath the overpass.

If you aren’t shielded by a bridge girder or something similar you’ll just get swept away and mulched.

Your best bet for survival if you cannot escape the tornado is to find the nearest deep ditch or hole.

jitsbay , Ralph W. lambrecht Report

Final score:

161points

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See Also on Bored Panda

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#18

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Despite popular belief, urine is not sterile.

koalamiracle , CDC Report

Final score:

160points

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#19

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses That we taste different things in different areas on the tongue.

redDKtie , Wei Ding Report

Final score:

154points

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#20

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses You can swim after you eat it's no problem

Thecooleo , Pixabay Report

Final score:

148points

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#21

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Lightning never strikes in one place twice.

JarJarLifts , Philippe Donn Report

Final score:

146points

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#22

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses That bubblegum get stuck in your stomach for 99999999999900000 years

Baller69max , João Lucas Lagos Report

Final score:

144points

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Isabelle 1 year ago

It only stays for 3 days, just like other undigestible things!

54points

Bell-acose Premium 1 year ago

I don’t buy that three day thing either. Want proof? Give me a cob of corn and eight hours…you’ll get your proof.

15points

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Bonesko 1 year ago

Thought it was 7 years? Either way 🤷

2points

aartdesigns 1 year ago

like BS.. ;)

0points

Beck 1 year ago (edited)

I love this picture. Her shirt, her hair, that shiny bubble and the strings to her friendship bracelet. She does not have a care in the world and it is the 80s in a nutshell! Edit. On closer inspection, that is a tattoo. Even better. My eye sight is bad. Sat too close to the tv growing up, Apparently🤣she probably has friendship bracelets up her sleeve. Maybe a slap bracelet as well.

10points

Loverboy 1 year ago

I think they just said that so you didn't accidentally choke.

5points

Kimba 1 year ago

I heard it would stay inside you for 7 years. Then Iearned you poop it out with the rest of the stuff you digest.

3points

BlindGirl UK 1 year ago

Same

1point

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Pineapple 1 year ago

of course not it gets stuck in there for 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 years

2points

Serial pacifist 1 year ago

Yeah, you have to take one zero away.

2points

Headless Roach 1 year ago

And I wanted to comment that a zero was missing there. Let's get our story straight, shall we? 🙃

2points

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Jerry Perkins 1 year ago

The corn ref says it all....

0points

Mary Peace 1 year ago

So who lived for that many years to supposedly prove that theory? And what if the bubblegum prolonged their life?

0points

Lady of the Mountains 1 year ago (edited)

It's still not recommended to swallow it, because it will gather up bacteria in your mouth while you chew, and that's not great to have inside you. So I've heard. Probably not true. But it's still a million times better to swallow the gum then stick it somewhere for innocents to find

0points

Bent. O. Jensen 1 year ago

Almost eternal life

0points

Klopec 1 year ago

Ha, ha, ha ,ha!!!!

0points

Penny Kemper 1 year ago

Anyone who's swallowed gum knows that not true

0points

EmBree 1 year ago

Grandma used to say swallowed bubblegum would stick together and form rubber boots in the stomach. Bubblegum was expensive and it was a way to make me keep them for longer. It didn't work.

0points

CHRIS DOMRES 1 year ago

I was told as a kid that bubble gum plugs up the appendix and causes an appendicitis.

0points

Crazy Meerkat Lady 1 year ago

Why did they even want us to believe this anyway? Surely it is better to swallow it than to stick it somewhere or keep it in a tissue

0points

Ovata Acronicta 1 year ago

Depending on the gum you chew...for example, Winterfresh, won't stay in your stomach any longer than anything else. It won't even get to your stomach in one piece, it dissolves into a disgusting slop while you chew on it.

0points

L hill 1 year ago

Looks like they tried to censor her mouth area.

0points

LeeAnne B 1 year ago

My ma said I would blow bubbles out my a$$ if I swallowed gum.

0points

Pickles, Pennies, & Ponies 1 year ago

When I was in school, the myth was 12 years.

0points

Billy Harrelson 1 year ago

I'd be up the creek if it were true. It's impossible for me to chew gum and not swallow it.

0points

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#23

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses That rice will make the birds who eat it explode. Birds eat rice all the time! It's actually good for them, especially brown rice.

I believe this myth was made up so people would stop throwing rice at weddings, but harming the birds wasn't an actual risk. It was getting rice grains stuck in your ear that was.

Mister_Moho , Polina Tankilevitch Report

Final score:

132points

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#24

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Don't know if it's been said yet still scrolling, but that male lions don't hunt or do anything. Yes, lionesses do most of the hunting but males do help if the prey is too big and strong, such as with cape buffalo or giraffe. Males do a lot, staying back and protecting the territory which is very important if there are cubs, not to mention that the mane not only blows their cover more when hunting, but it tires them out quickly as it's a bunch of hair weighing on their head. Males also have to leave their birth pride at a certain age which of course until they can find a pride, they at that point have to hunt.

Also on the topic of African animals (wildlife nerd) hyenas hunt more than lions and are more successful predators, and hyenas aren't dogs. Elephants don't think you or any human is cute.

Edit: I was told wrong a lion's mane doesn't weigh as much as I thought, but it does have more of a negative effect on their hunting compared to a lioness.

wildnstuff , Iurii Ivashchenko Report

Final score:

128points

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50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#25

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses That eggs are bad for you.
That eggs are good for you.

Its been proven that it completely depends on your own genetic makeup on if they are good or bad for you. For some people they're healthy, for others they're not and they're bad cholesterol level skyrockets.

BKDDY Report

Final score:

126points

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#26

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Carrots do not improve your eyesight.

RiotousRagnarok , Markus Spiske Report

Final score:

125points

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#27

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses A frog thrown in a pot of boiling water will jump out immediately. If a frog is put in a pot of cool water and that water is slowly warmed, the frog won’t notice and boil to death.

This is indeed false

Backwards_Pessimist , Frank Zhang Report

Final score:

123points

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#28

That you can “alkalize” your body to prevent or cure disease.

Talented_oven5 Report

Final score:

104points

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Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

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#29

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses Women's periods don't sync up when they live together. Any syncing that occurs is a result of a coincidental overlap of their individual cycles.

zumera , Annika Gordon Report

Final score:

84points

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#30

Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses I just read it recently that people believe that consuming alcohol moderately has some health benefits but it was proven by a recent study that it does not have any health benefits at all.

iam_joyc3 , Wil Stewart Report

Final score:

79points

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What do you think ?

Monday 1 year ago

Half of these are just sharing the wrong belief on it's own, the other half are sharing the corrected thoughts. Really damn confusing when one post says "Gum sits in your stomach for x years" and the next says "Homosexuality is natural". Can we please stick to either sharing the lie OR sharing the truth and not mix and matching them without any indication which is which?

45points

Tyler 1 year ago

I was just about to say the same thing! I can't tell which are saying the false belief, and which are saying the correction.

AndThenICommented 1 year ago

Feminine and masculine energy BS. I have friends who truly believe that certain activities are inherently ‘feminine’ and when I said that’s completely man made and tied to cultural norms they were adamant that it was a truly biological thing… :-/

19points

BeepBoop the Single Pringle 1 year ago

oh dang I wasn't expecting you to say they thought it was biological.. It's totally man made. Ugh some people should Google more (that also includes me)

VodkaInMySweetTea 1 year ago

There is a severe lack of science in this "science has proven" thread. "I've noticed..." isn't science.

16points

Samuel Pelatan 1 year ago

You mean it lacks scientific method or biology and social science aren't science ?

DrBronxx 1 year ago

If people are going to talk about studies, they should have to cite them. I mean, I could say "it was proven by a recent study that all people named Kevin have a vestigial tail that looks like a pinky finger." That carries just as much weight as anything else here that does not have a source. If you want to prove something wrong, then PROVE it wrong. Back up your "correction".

Leo Domitrix 1 year ago

This isn't science.

Verena Fiori-Jambor 1 year ago

In my opinion all these threads cause even more confusion…some aren’t even proven

Amy E 1 year ago

Unsupported, nothing cited, and the posts aren't even consistent in how they are stating a claim. Poorly done article, one of the worst I've seen on here!

Illustrious G 1 year ago

Ok, I have a real one for this list, I think it’s a little more well-known now, but it was spread a lot in prior years: Baby birds will NOT be rejected by their parents if they have “human scent” on them. #1. Birds do not have that strong of a sense of smell; and #2. They have very strong parental instincts. If at all possible, return fallen babies to the nest, and if not, contact a rehabilitator in your area. And please do NOT try to raise the baby yourself if you do not have the proper materials and training!

similarly 1 year ago

I STILL don't know if high fructose corn syrup carries an increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Literally half the scientific literature says "yes" and the other half says "no". One says that the body has a more difficult time metabolizing fructose compared with glucose, and so tends to store it as fat, and the fructose can affect insulin levels in the liver. Then other scientific articles say that there's absolutely no proof of that. Which do I believe? I know this: Prior to 1980, lots of people ate lots of snacks. Plenty of plenty of people sat inside all day watching tv. Lots of people ate too much. But during the 1980s, first soft drinks and then a LOT of foods switched to HFCS and suddenly obesity and diabetes rates soared. Certainly I'm aware of Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc (and similar) fallacies, but it still seems suspicious to me.

My dad was 100% certain the hair dye changed the color of your hair permanently. Not the dyed part, mind you, but the color of the hair that grew out afterward. It didn't matter how many times I explained that the dark hair was my natural hair color and the light blond he remembered was my hair bleached by the sun.

Rachel Reynolds 1 year ago

One gram of uranium-235 has just about 20 billion calories. A meal to last a life time

CarroWilliams 1 year ago

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Someone Asks “What Is A Popular Belief That Has Been Scientifically Proven Wrong?” And People Deliver 30 Illuminating Responses

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