THESE SCIENCE MYTHS have been perpetuated for years. But it’s time to set the record straight.
Is the earth’s core molten liquid?
Does tequila really come with a hallucinogenic worm?
Can daddy longlegs spiders bite?
The answers to these questions will surprise you.
The earth’s core is molten liquid
The Hollywood blockbuster The Core would have you believe that Earth’s center is molten liquid. In fact, Earth’s core is a dense sphere of nickel and iron with a diameter of about 700 miles.
Killer whales are whales
Yes they are, but they’re more closely related to dolphins than other whales.
Gravity pulls us downwards
Although most of us have only experienced gravity in the downward direction, gravity is not a downward force. Simply put, gravity sucks! And it sucks in all directions and dimensions.
House flies only live for 24 hours
Contrary to popular belief, house flies do not have a life span of 24 hours. So, if you think it’s better to wait for your uninvited house mate to die instead of chasing it down, think again. The common house fly can live for up to a month!
One dog year = seven human years
One dog year is not equivalent to seven human years. Dogs age most quickly during the first two years and after that it greatly depends on the dog’s breed. For some dog breeds, one year is equivalent to a 14-year-old human.
Tequila should always have a worm in it
Tequila and mezcal shouldn’t come with worm at the bottom. Only certain types of mezcals, another type of alcohol made from the agave plant, like tequila, contain the worm — and it’s actually an indication of low-quality alcohol or a marketing trick. The worm is a moth larva and its presence indicates infestation.
Black holes aren’t black
Black holes are not actually the colour black. They look black when we observe them because they emit no form of visible light. One of the only ways we know black holes exist is because of the gravitational pull they have on stars that otherwise appear to be orbiting empty space.
Head in the sand
Ostriches do not stick their heads in the sand when threatened. Actually they don’t bury their heads at all. When threatened, ostriches flop on the ground and play dead.
Distance from the sun
Seasons on Earth are the result of Earth’s axial tilt and not Earth’s distance from the Sun. If you think about it, Australian winter happens during North America’s summer and there is no way that could happen if seasons depended on our distance from the sun.
Daddy longlegs can’t bite
Daddy longlegs spiders can, in fact, pierce human skin with their small mouths. But don’t worry, they also are not the most venomous spider in the world and the small amount of venom they carry will cause only a mild burning sensation for a few seconds and nothing more.
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