‭10 Common Misconceptions Everyone Still Believes‬

‭By [ROKEEB IBRAHIM]‬

‭Fact-checked by [ROKEEB IBRAHIM]‬
‭ o matter how much access we have to information today, some‬
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‭falsehoods stick with us like glue. From things we learned in school‬
‭to ideas passed down through generations, many of us carry‬
‭misconceptions that we just never questioned. Some are trivial,‬
‭while others could change the way we see the world if debunked.‬
‭Here’s a list of 10 common misconceptions that many still believe,‬
‭despite the facts saying otherwise.‬

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‭1. We Only Use 10% of Our Brains‬

‭ e idea that humans use just 10% of their brains is an old one, and‬
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‭it keeps coming up in pop culture and casual conversation. Movies‬
‭like‬‭Limitless‬‭and‬‭Lucy‬‭have run wild with the premise, suggesting‬
‭that if we could somehow tap into the remaining 90%, we’d unlock‬
‭extraordinary abilities, turning us into superhumans.‬
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‭ ut the truth is, we use much more than 10% of our brains—almost‬
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‭all of it, in fact. Brain imaging technology, such as MRI scans, has‬
‭shown that nearly every part of the brain has a role to play, whether‬
‭it’s for basic survival functions, movement, memory, or complex‬
‭thinking. Even when we’re resting, our brain is still working, doing‬
‭things like regulating body functions and processing memories. No‬
‭part of the brain is simply sitting there, unused.‬

‭ o where did this myth come from? Some believe it originated from‬
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‭early studies on brain function when scientists were still figuring out‬
‭what different parts of the brain did. The “10% myth” might have‬
‭been a way to express that we don’t fully understand the potential of‬
‭the brain, but it got blown way out of proportion.‬

‭2. Goldfish Have a 3-Second Memory‬

‭ oldfish have gotten a bad rap for being forgetful, with many people‬
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‭believing that these little creatures can only remember things for a‬
‭few seconds. But goldfish are actually a lot smarter than we give‬
‭them credit for. Research shows that goldfish can remember things‬
‭for weeks or even months. They can learn to navigate mazes,‬
‭recognize their owners, and associate certain sounds or colors with‬
‭feeding time.‬
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I‭ n one experiment, scientists trained goldfish to push a lever to get‬

‭food, but they only made the lever available for an hour each day.‬
‭The fish quickly learned to hit the lever at the right time each day,‬
‭showing that they not only had a memory but also could keep track‬
‭of time. This misconception likely comes from the fact that we don't‬
‭typically see complex behaviors in goldfish the way we might with‬
‭dogs or cats.‬

‭ o, next time you see a goldfish swimming around, remember: it’s‬

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‭smarter than you think, and it can probably remember you as much‬
‭as you remember it.‬

‭3. Bulls Hate the Color Red‬

‭ anks to bullfighting and cartoons, most people believe that bulls‬
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‭charge at the color red, thinking that it makes them angry. But‬
‭bulls aren’t actually enraged by red—or any color, for that matter.‬
‭Bulls, like other cattle, are red-green colorblind. What actually‬
‭irritates the bull is the movement of the matador’s cape, not the color‬
‭itself.‬

‭ e tradition of using a red cape (called a‬‭muleta‬‭) in bullfighting‬

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‭has more to do with human spectators than the bull’s preferences.‬
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‭ e red color hides blood stains during the fight, making the‬
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‭spectacle more dramatic for those watching. In fact, bulls would‬
‭charge at a moving cape regardless of its color, whether it’s blue,‬
‭green, or even white. It’s the motion that makes them charge.‬

‭ is misconception likely stuck because of the visual intensity that‬

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‭the color red brings to bullfights, but in reality, it’s not the color that‬
‭gets under the bull’s skin.‬

‭4. Cracking Your Knuckles Causes Arthritis‬

‭ nyone who enjoys cracking their knuckles has probably been‬
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‭warned that doing so could lead to arthritis later in life. This is a‬
‭popular belief passed down from concerned parents and‬
‭grandparents, but science doesn’t back it up. Cracking your‬
‭knuckles doesn’t cause arthritis or any other long-term damage to‬
‭your joints.‬

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‭ e popping sound you hear when cracking your knuckles is caused‬
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‭by gas bubbles in the synovial fluid (the lubricant in your joints)‬
‭being rapidly released when the joint is stretched. Numerous‬
‭studies, including one particularly famous one where a doctor‬
‭cracked the knuckles of one hand for decades while leaving the‬
‭other hand alone, have shown no increased risk of arthritis from‬
‭this habit.‬

‭ o while the sound of knuckle-cracking might annoy the people‬

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‭around you, rest easy knowing it’s not wrecking your joints.‬

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‭5. Humans Have Only Five Senses‬

‭ e’re all taught in school that humans have five senses—sight,‬
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‭hearing, touch, taste, and smell. But that’s an oversimplification. In‬
‭reality, humans have many more than just five senses, and‬
‭depending on how you define “sense,” scientists have identified‬
‭anywhere from nine to over twenty different senses.‬

‭ ne example of an additional sense is proprioception, which is the‬

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‭sense of knowing where your body parts are in relation to each‬
‭other. It’s how you can touch your nose with your eyes closed or‬
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‭ alk without looking at your feet. Another is equilibrioception,‬

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‭which is your sense of balance. Thermoception, the ability to sense‬
‭temperature, and nociception, the perception of pain, are also‬
‭considered separate senses beyond the basic five.‬

‭ ese senses work together to help us navigate the world in ways we‬
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‭often take for granted. So, while the classic five senses are crucial,‬
‭they don’t give us the full picture of how humans experience the‬
‭world.‬

‭6. Shaving Makes Hair Grow Back Thicker‬

I‭ t’s a common belief that shaving makes hair grow back thicker,‬
‭darker, or faster. The idea probably stems from how hair feels after‬
‭shaving. When you shave, you cut the hair at the surface of the‬
‭skin, leaving a blunt tip. As the hair grows out, the blunt tip can feel‬
‭coarser or thicker to the touch, but that’s just a temporary effect.‬

I‭ n reality, shaving doesn’t change the thickness, color, or speed of‬

‭hair growth. The characteristics of your hair are determined by‬
‭your genetics and hormones, not by whether you shave or not. If‬
‭you’ve ever noticed that your body hair seems darker or thicker‬
‭ fter shaving, it’s likely because the blunt ends of the hair catch‬
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‭your attention more than the tapered ends you had before.‬

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‭ having is merely a surface-level change and has no impact on the‬

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‭structure or growth pattern of your hair.‬

‭7. The Great Wall of China Is Visible from Space‬

‭ e idea that the Great Wall of China is the only man-made‬
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‭structure visible from space is a misconception that’s been widely‬
‭accepted for years. It sounds impressive—an ancient structure so‬
‭massive that you can see it from orbit! But unfortunately, this isn’t‬
‭true.‬

‭ hile the Great Wall is incredibly long (over 13,000 miles), it’s‬
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‭also quite narrow in most places. From space, especially low Earth‬
‭orbit, astronauts have confirmed that the wall blends into the‬
‭surrounding landscape. In fact, it’s much easier to see things like‬
‭roads, cities, and airports from space because of the contrast‬
‭between man-made objects and natural terrain.‬
‭ e myth probably persists because it’s a nice story, but in reality,‬
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‭spotting the Great Wall from space without special equipment is‬
‭practically impossible.‬

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‭8. Lightning Never Strikes the Same Place Twice‬

“‭ Lightning never strikes the same place twice” is one of those‬
‭comforting phrases people use to suggest that bad luck won’t repeat‬
‭itself. But as far as lightning is concerned, this is completely false.‬
‭In fact, lightning can—and often does—strike the same place more‬
‭than once, especially if that place is tall or isolated.‬

‭ kyscrapers, trees, and mountain peaks are frequently hit by‬

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‭lightning during storms. For example, the Empire State Building in‬
‭New York City is struck by lightning about 20 to 25 times a year.‬
‭It’s tall, isolated, and one of the highest points in the city, making it‬
‭a prime target.‬

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‭ o while it’s nice to think that you’re safe from lightning after the‬
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‭first strike, don’t bet on it. If you’re in a high-risk area, lightning‬
‭can (and will) strike again.‬

‭9. Sugar Makes Kids Hyperactive‬

‭ arents have long blamed sugar for their kids bouncing off the‬
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‭walls, but scientific studies don’t support this belief. The myth likely‬
‭gained traction because kids often eat sugary foods at parties,‬
‭during holidays, or in other exciting situations where they’re‬
‭already more active than usual.‬

I‭ n numerous studies, researchers have found no significant link‬

‭between sugar consumption and hyperactivity in children. In fact,‬
‭some studies have shown that parents are more likely to believe‬
‭their child is hyper if they think the child has consumed sugar, even‬
‭if they haven’t.‬

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‭ hile sugar has its downsides (such as contributing to tooth decay‬

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‭and weight gain), it’s not responsible for turning your child into a‬
‭ hirlwind of energy. Kids are just naturally active, especially when‬
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‭they’re having fun.‬

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‭10. Chameleons Change Color to Blend In with Their‬

‭Surroundings‬
C‭ hameleons are famous for their ability to change color, and many‬
‭people assume that they do this solely for camouflage. While‬
‭chameleons can change color to blend into their environment, this‬
‭isn’t their primary reason for doing so. In reality, chameleons‬
‭change color for a variety of reasons, including communication,‬
‭temperature regulation, and signaling their mood.‬

F‭ or example, a chameleon might turn dark when it’s cold to absorb‬

‭more heat, or display bright colors to show dominance or attract a‬
‭mate‬

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 ‭Conclusion‬
‭ isconceptions like the ones we’ve just explored are proof that not‬
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‭everything we take for granted as “common knowledge” is true.‬
‭Despite living in an age of easy access to information, myths and‬
‭half-truths still persist in everyday conversations. These‬
‭misconceptions often arise from outdated science, misunderstood‬
‭facts, or just plain miscommunication over time. While some of‬
‭these myths are harmless, others can shape how we view the world,‬
‭the choices we make, and even how we raise our children.‬

T‭ ake, for instance, the belief that we only use 10% of our brains.‬
‭This myth has been perpetuated not just in casual conversation but‬
‭in media and pop culture for decades, despite being scientifically‬
‭debunked. Similarly, the idea that sugar causes hyperactivity in‬
‭kids has influenced parenting for years, making parents‬
‭hyper-aware of what their children consume at parties or events.‬
‭It’s often much easier to believe these ideas without questioning‬
‭them because they’ve been part of our cultural narrative for so long.‬

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‭ ut what’s important is not just the debunking of these myths—it’s‬
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‭learning to approach “common knowledge” with a bit of skepticism.‬
‭The ease with which information spreads today, thanks to social‬
‭media and the internet, means that falsehoods can gain traction‬
‭quickly. This makes it even more critical for us to question what we‬
‭hear and do our own research before accepting something as fact. A‬
‭good rule of thumb is to always ask: “Where did this information‬
‭come from, and is there evidence to back it up?”‬

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‭ e persistence of myths like “shaving makes hair grow back‬

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‭thicker” or “the Great Wall of China is visible from space” shows‬
‭just how deeply rooted these misconceptions are. Even with scientific‬
‭evidence readily available to debunk these beliefs, they continue to‬
‭spread because they’ve become part of our cultural consciousness.‬
‭It’s a reminder that once an idea takes hold, it can be incredibly‬
‭difficult to dislodge it, even when facts say otherwise.‬

‭ nother takeaway from this list is that our understanding of the‬

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‭world is constantly evolving. Early theories about brain function,‬
‭sensory perception, and even animal behavior have been revised as‬
‭new technology and research methods develop. What we knew (or‬
t‭ hought we knew) fifty years ago might look completely different‬
‭today. For example, the discovery that humans have far more than‬
‭five senses challenges a belief that’s been around since ancient times.‬
‭Similarly, learning that chameleons change color for reasons other‬
‭than camouflage expands our understanding of animal behavior.‬

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‭ ltimately, the persistence of these misconceptions highlights the‬

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‭importance of staying informed and open-minded. Rather than‬
‭clinging to outdated beliefs, we should be willing to update our‬
‭understanding of the world as new evidence comes to light. The‬
‭more we question, the more we learn—and the closer we get to seeing‬
‭things as they really are.‬

‭ o next time you hear someone repeat one of these common myths,‬
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‭feel free to set the record straight. Chances are, they’re just passing‬
‭along information they assumed was true, just like the rest of us‬
‭have done at some point. By challenging misconceptions and‬
‭spreading correct information, we can help chip away at the myths‬
‭that still shape our worldview today.‬
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