Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share Common 'Facts' That Are Actually Incorrect

Possessing an intriguing fact can be a trusty dusty ace in the hole when conversation wavers. A tidbit that manages to surprise while it caters to logical intuition is worth its weight in gold.

Many of them, however, despite being interesting, are complete nonsense and they came from God knows where.


This Reddit thread is stocked with the vigilantes of the fun fact. They've adopted the thankless, but important role of setting the record straight.

The result is a list of deflating revelations. But arguably, these corrections carry as much, if not more interest than the original *incorrect* facts themselves.

Ryrylx asked, "What's a common 'fact' that's actually incorrect?"

Bring a Shield and it's Safe and Sound

"It's not dangerous to wake a sleepwalker. They won't have a heart attack or be put into a coma. They'll just be confused and it won't be pleasant for them, that's it." -- calathea1

"And depending on what kind of dream they're in, they might hit you." -- Fantastic-Mrs-Fox

Gotta Cut Corners Somewhere

"The beverage used by Jim Jones to kill all of those people was not Kool-aid, it was another brand called 'Flavor-aid.' " -- FloralBison

"When you're making enough fruit-flavored beverage to serve a thousand people, the savings from using a generic brand can really add up." -- brberg

Better Odds, but Still Bad

"Gladiator games in ancient Rome were not 'two men go in, one comes out.'"

"The figure I've seen in most studies is a chance of 1:9 for a gladiator to die during a munus that he took part in."

"That's huge, of course... but still means that, in most cases, it wasn't a fight to the death."

-- slacker25

Work Smarter, Not Harder

"You most probably weren't the fastest sperm cell. The egg has an outer protective layer that takes several sperm to wear down before fertilization."

"Honestly, you were probably one of the slowest sperm cells who arrived too late to do any work but still won the race of life."

"Also, the egg actually has a number of chemical barriers that select sperm with certain attractive chemical markers. The egg actually chooses which packet of DNA makes it to fertilization."

-- TinCupTan

Don't Flatter Yourselves

"Humans eat 8 spiders a year in their sleep."

"Spiders generally like cool, dry places. The inside of your mouth is not an appealing place for them."

-- VanillaSkittlez

Brian Power--About Three AA Batteries

"'We only use 10% of our brainpower.'"

"You always use 12 watts. That is the total power of the brain." -- DjDisingenius

"More specifically, you use all of your brain, but use different parts at different times, rather than all at once."

"This is why you never hear doctors saying, 'Thank god, he got shot in the 90% of the brain that doesn't do anything.'" -- Kakyoins_Egg

WHAT.

"'Breakfast is the most important meal of the day...'"

"Kelloggs payed researchers to create studies confirming that statement and started using it as a slogan to sell more cereal."

-- ValentinerX

Standard Measurement Strikes Again

"Napoleon wasn't short, he was actually 5'7" which was considered average-to-tall height for the time."

"Apparently the only way we can surmise that the urban legend started that he was short was because of the difference between English and French Imperial units, which led to his height seeming small by British figures."

-- Mayfair_Heir

And How do you Account for the Lungs Hmmmm?

"That the blood in your body is blue until it hits oxygen." -- StrikingWeb3

"I got onto a debate about this last year and dropped the 'blood literally carry's oxygen through your body' and they shut up." -- onionswithrubber

Would Have Run Out of Places a LONG Time Ago

"It's commonly said that 'lightning never strikes twice in the same place. In fact, it does - and frequently.'" -- Back2Bach

"Otherwise lightening rods would not be a thing." -- otter_pickles

"Or the one guy that has about 7 lightning strikes in his medical history." -- redbetweenlines

Do you have something to confess to George? Text "Secrets" or "🤐" to +1 (310) 299-9390 to talk him about it.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost
Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment

Colin Jost Hilariously Reacts To Wife Scarlett Johansson Becoming World's Highest-Grossing Actor

Scarlett Johansson has been acting professionally since she was 9 years old, with her film debut in North in 1994. Since then, she's appeared in movies that span practically every genre and garnered two Academy Award nominations.

With such a long and diverse resume, it's not completely surprising that, at age 40, Johansson just became the highest-grossing actor at the worldwide box office ever, with $14.9 billion of box office revenue for her 68 films.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Stevie Wonder
@RNB_Radar/X

Stevie Wonder Epically Shuts Down Rumor That He's Not Really Blind In Powerful Viral Clip

Legendary musician Stevie Wonder spoke out during a stop on his Love, Light & Song mini-tour to address rumors that he is not really blind, telling those in attendance that his blindness—which has been the case since shortly after birth—has also been a "blessing."

The long-standing rumor that Stevie Wonder can actually see has circulated for decades and even been echoed by fellow celebrities including singer Lionel Richie, who said in a 2019 interview that he's "been spending my whole life with him [Wonder] thinking he can see."

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Dr. Mehmet Oz
Fox News

Dr. Oz Slammed For Tone Deaf Health Advice For Americans On Medicaid And Medicare

Dr. Mehmet Oz—now the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services—was criticized after he offered Americans unsolicited health advice during a Fox News appearance, saying that Americans shouldn't "eat carrot cake" as millions face cuts to their government-funded health insurance.

The passage of President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" will cause 17 million people to lose valuable Medicare and Medicaid coverage. Under the bill, individuals earning just above the federal poverty line would be required to start paying out of pocket for certain Medicaid services, such as doctor visits and lab tests.

Keep ReadingShow less
A man and woman kissing with the woman's hat covering their faces.
woman in white hijab sitting on chair

The Biggest Lies People Told In Order To Sleep With Someone

When you meet someone you're attracted to, your first inclination is to try to impress them.

Sometimes, purely in hopes of getting them into bed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Adam Schiff; Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Adam Schiff Calls Out The Real Reason Trump Is Accusing Him Of 'Fraud'—And Yeah, That Tracks

California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff fired back at President Donald Trump after Trump accused Schiff of "possible mortgage fraud" in a Truth Social post—prompting Schiff to point out that Trump's attack is another attempt to take attention away from Trump's association with the late financier, pedophile, and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump, without citing evidence, said Fannie Mae’s financial crimes division found that Schiff had a “sustained pattern of possible Mortgage Fraud" that involved misstating which home Schiff used as a primary residence, allowing him to secure a cheaper mortgage.

Keep ReadingShow less