Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share Debunked Myths That Everyone Still Believes Today

People Share Debunked Myths That Everyone Still Believes Today
Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash

People believe some really ridiculous stuff, don't they?

When I was younger, it seemed every adult believed that you couldn't swim for several hours after eating. Why did they all believe this? I fought them on this all the time, by the way.

I shouldn't have had to, just because I'd eaten some barbecue during a pool party.

Guess what, though? That belief is unfounded.

People told us more about the myths that annoy them after Redditor SugoiSuu asked the online community,

"What are the myths that got debunked multiple times but still believed by people?"

"That you get warts from frogs. Warts come from the human papillomavirus and come from contact with the virus through broken skin. It is a human-specific virus and cannot be spread through different species."

mtn_cat

Why do people believe this crap?

Do they still think you can kiss a frog and turn him into a prince, too?

"Popping your knuckles is actually harmless and the "study" that claimed it caused arthritis was heavily flawed. Studies now show that it has nothing to do with causing arthritis."

l-e-mon

I believed this... when I was a kid. I eventually learned. But the adults who still believe this? What's up with that?

"Many people still believe..."

"Many people still believe hymens are like plastic food seals that cover up the hole and get popped when you have sex for the first time, and if a girl doesn't bleed she's not a virgin."

[deleted]

The myths surrounding women's bodies are just ridiculous thing, aren't they?

Here's an idea: SEX ED!

"That if you get too close..."

"That if you get too close to a baby bird, the mother will smell human on the baby and abandon the nest. You probably should still avoid touching baby birds for other reasons like disease or risking injury to the animal though."

NawlSideNative

THE REJECTION!

But yeah, this doesn't happen. So farfetched.

"That fish only have a 5-second memory. My fish are fed automatically on a timer and they know dinner time better than my goddamn cat."

Osr0

I bet they do. Animals are much smarter than we give them credit for.

"That one thing..."

"That one thing about swallowing like 7 spiders a year in your sleep. Why the hell did anyone ever think that was a thing?"

ReaperSCP

Because people are gullible.

Sooooo gullible.

It hurts.

"That your hair..."

"That your hair and fingernails still grow after you die. It's mainly an optical illusion. Your skin decays and shrinks, causing hair and fingernails to look like they've grown."

CasinoKitten

I grew up hearing this. There are entire generations of people who believe this.

"That certain animal parts..."

"That certain animal 'parts' have healing/magical properties. Like tiger whiskers protect the wearer or rhino horn cures impotence and hangovers."

storm-in-a-teapot

Sorry to disappoint, guys, but animals are not "magic" and here for your personal amusement and woo-woo.

"That you have to wait..."

"That you have to wait 24 hours before filing a missing person report."

popthetab

We can definitely pin some of the blame on movies for this one. "Oh, you know for certain your daughter was kidnapped and might possibly be murdered? Looks like you'll have to take matters into your own hands and pursue some good old fashioned vigilante justice, sorry."

"No amount of reasoning..."

"That cats kill babies."

"I've run into this so many times since having kids. And it's not the older grandmas making these statements."

"I've had 20-year-olds tell me that you can't have cats if you plan to have babies because "they'll steal their breath" or some other variation. No amount of reasoning or rationale will dissuade them of this belief."

anothertimesometime

Cats are wonderful creatures. It's a shame that people believe such nonsense about them.

Here's some advice...

Google is your friend. It's very easy to debunk this stuff. I remember being taught that the tongue had taste zones––we even had to fill out a worksheet labeling the tongue's different zones. That's totally wrong, in case you haven't figured it out.

Know some myths that annoy you? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshot of Donald Trump speaking next to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
@TheBulwark/X

Trump Gets Epic Geography Lesson After Claiming You Could 'Walk Right Across The Border' From Qatar To Iran

President Donald Trump showed he doesn't know a thing about geography after claiming you could just "walk" from Qatar to Iran in remarks at the G7 summit in France this week.

That's not true, by the way: There is no land border between Qatar and Iran. The two nations are separated by the Persian Gulf at a distance of about 119 miles.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Trump Dragged After Past Tweet Comes Back To Bite Him Hard Following Iran Deal Announcement

President Donald Trump is facing criticism following his announcement of a so-called "deal" to end his war with Iran now that a tweet he wrote about Iran in 2020 has resurfaced.

A senior Trump administration official said Monday that the U.S. has proposed giving Iran access to a $300 billion reconstruction fund as part of a tentative agreement, which as of now is simply a "memorandum of understanding," between the two countries, set to be signed by both parties on Friday. This MOU defers the most contentious aspects of negotiation for a 60-day window to follow the signing.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rainn Wilson sparked debate with his comments about The Office and "cancel culture."
Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images; Courtesy of Fox News

Rainn Wilson Dragged After Claiming You Couldn't Make 'The Office' Today Because Of Leftist Cancel Culture

Just like his character on The Office, Rainn Wilson has flummoxed the internet with his take on whether the hit NBC sitcom would fit into today’s so-called “cancel culture.”

In an interview with Fox News, Wilson, 60, reflected on The Office, which premiered in 2005, starred Steve Carell, John Krasinski, and Jenna Fischer, and ran until 2013. The series was adapted from the British show of the same name and went on to become one of the most influential sitcoms of its era.

Keep ReadingShow less
Student response to UK ban of social media for teens
BBC

Teen Goes Viral After She's Asked What She'll Do Now That The UK Has Banned Social Media For Kids 16 And Under

The U.K. has instituted a ban on social media, including Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms, for teens who are 16 or younger.

The ban aims to protect younger audiences from consuming potentially harmful or age-inappropriate content, and to encourage them to participate in activities that do not involve excessive screen time.

Keep ReadingShow less
Spencer Pratt
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

MAGA Influencer Hit With Epic Factcheck After Claiming Hundreds Of Ballots For Spencer Pratt Were Found In Dumpster

Following Republican candidate Spencer Pratt's loss in the Los Angeles mayoral primary election to Democrats Karen Bass and Nithya Raman, a MAGA account on X was quickly fact-checked after claiming 675 ballots for Pratt were found in a dumpster in a California city that doesn't exist.

At one stage of the race, Pratt held an eight-point advantage over Raman in the battle for second place. But as election officials continued counting mail-in ballots in the days following the election, his lead steadily narrowed. By the time more votes were tabulated, Raman had overtaken him.

Keep ReadingShow less