Are These Urban Myths Real or Fake?

Is the left brain really different than the right brain? What happens if you drop a penny from the top of the Empire State Building? See if you know the answers to these questions and more...

A decapitated chicken once survived for eighteen months while entirely headless.

Correct

True! Bird is the word. Miracle Mike was a Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18 months after its head was sliced off, due to the anatomical structure of some chicken skulls.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! Bird is the word. Miracle Mike was a Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18 months after its head was sliced off, due to the anatomical structure of some chicken skulls.

15% of all daily Google searches have never been searched before.

Correct

True! It's hard to believe there's anything out there that has never been searched before, but 15% of all daily Google searches are brand new material.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! It's hard to believe there's anything out there that has never been searched before, but 15% of all daily Google searches are brand new material.

You only use 10% of your brain on a daily basis.

Correct

FalseModern PET and MRI scans have proven that humans activate way more than 10% of their brain every day.

Incorrect

You chose:

FalseModern PET and MRI scans have proven that humans activate way more than 10% of their brain every day.

The name "Jessica" was first coined by Shakespeare.

Correct

True! William Shakespeare invented the name Jessica. It was first recorded in The Merchant of Venice, where Jessica is the name of Shylock's daughter.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! William Shakespeare invented the name Jessica. It was first recorded in The Merchant of Venice, where Jessica is the name of Shylock's daughter.

The average person spends a total of five years waiting in queues over the course of their lifetime.

Correct

False! And thankfully so—zero evidence supports this claim. It is estimated that people with extensive work commutes may spend one or two years waiting in line, but only if you count all those hours stuck in rush-hour traffic.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! And thankfully so—zero evidence supports this claim. It is estimated that people with extensive work commutes may spend one or two years waiting in line, but only if you count all those hours stuck in rush-hour traffic.

Roughly half of all the wealth in the world is controlled by a mere one percent of the population.

Correct

True! The top one percent owns more than 50% of the world's wealth.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! The top one percent owns more than 50% of the world's wealth.

Humans share 95% of their DNA with bananas.

Correct

False! While humans share over 95% of their DNA with some primates, only 60% is genetically shared with bananas.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! While humans share over 95% of their DNA with some primates, only 60% is genetically shared with bananas.

All red wines taste better with age.

Correct

False! Most wines can be consumed immediately and do not improve with age. Only about 1% of high-quality red wine will get better over time.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Most wines can be consumed immediately and do not improve with age. Only about 1% of high-quality red wine will get better over time.

If you folded a piece of paper 45 times, it would be long enough to reach the moon.

Correct

True! Standard office paper is 0.1 millimeters thick. If you fold that paper 42 times, it would create 4,398,046,511,104 layers of paper. This would extend roughly 405,000 kilometers to reach the moon at the farthest point in its elliptical orbit.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! Standard office paper is 0.1 millimeters thick. If you fold that paper 42 times, it would create 4,398,046,511,104 layers of paper. This would extend roughly 405,000 kilometers to reach the moon at the farthest point in its elliptical orbit.

It takes 7 years to digest chewing gum.

Correct

False! Even though our stomachs break down gum differently than other food, it is still moved out of your system during the digestion process.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Even though our stomachs break down gum differently than other food, it is still moved out of your system during the digestion process.

There are more trees on planet Earth than stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

Correct

True! There are over three trillion trees on Earth, but only between 100 and 400 million stars in the Milky Way.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! There are over three trillion trees on Earth, but only between 100 and 400 million stars in the Milky Way.

1 in every 200 men is descended from Genghis Khan.

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True! An international team of geneticists discovered that the great Mongol leader shares a male Y chromosome with 16 million men in central Asia.

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You chose:

True! An international team of geneticists discovered that the great Mongol leader shares a male Y chromosome with 16 million men in central Asia.

Bats are blind.

Correct

False! Bats can use echolocation to hunt in the dark, but studies have shown that these creatures occasionally prefer to catch their prey using eyesight.

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You chose:

False! Bats can use echolocation to hunt in the dark, but studies have shown that these creatures occasionally prefer to catch their prey using eyesight.

Goldfish have a memory span of three months.

Correct

True! Although the common myth is that goldfish only have a memory span of three days, it's actually three months.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! Although the common myth is that goldfish only have a memory span of three days, it's actually three months.

There are more libraries in the United States than McDonald's restaurants.

Correct

True! There are currently an estimated 116,867 libraries in the U.S. when compared to 13,793 McDonald's restaurants. A win for the bookworms!

Incorrect

You chose:

True! There are currently an estimated 116,867 libraries in the U.S. when compared to 13,793 McDonald's restaurants. A win for the bookworms!

Napoleon was of average height.

Correct

True! At 5'6", Napoleon was slightly about the average height for a Frenchman at the time.

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You chose:

True! At 5'6", Napoleon was slightly about the average height for a Frenchman at the time.

If you eat before you swimming, you will get cramps.

Correct

False! Eating before a dip in the pool won't cause cramps, but a full stomach might make you feel short of breath. Alcohol, however, does increase the likelihood of developing cramps while swimming.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Eating before a dip in the pool won't cause cramps, but a full stomach might make you feel short of breath. Alcohol, however, does increase the likelihood of developing cramps while swimming.

Salted water boils more quickly than unsalted water.

Correct

False! Salting water doesn't make it boil faster—in fact, it can actually increase the time it takes to reach a boil.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Salting water doesn't make it boil faster—in fact, it can actually increase the time it takes to reach a boil.

Adding oil to pasta water helps prevent the noodles from sticking together.

Correct

False! Oil only makes your pasta greasy. The way to stop pasta from sticking together is by stirring it.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Oil only makes your pasta greasy. The way to stop pasta from sticking together is by stirring it.

If you were hit by a penny dropped from the Empire State Building, it could kill you.

Correct

False! The terminal velocity of a penny is between 30 and 50 miles per hour. It wouldn't kill you, but it sure might sting a little.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! The terminal velocity of a penny is between 30 and 50 miles per hour. It wouldn't kill you, but it sure might sting a little.

MSG can cause migraines.

Correct

False! There is no scientific link between MSG and headaches.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! There is no scientific link between MSG and headaches.

Dogs sweat through their feet, not by salivating.

Correct

True! Dogs regulate temperature by panting, but they actually sweat through their footpads.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! Dogs regulate temperature by panting, but they actually sweat through their footpads.

Most people do not wash their hands after using a public restroom.

Correct

True! Only five percent of people wash their hands for a full 20 seconds—as recommended by the CDC—after using a public restroom. One-third of individuals don't use soap, and one in ten forego handwashing entirely. Gross!

Incorrect

You chose:

True! Only five percent of people wash their hands for a full 20 seconds—as recommended by the CDC—after using a public restroom. One-third of individuals don't use soap, and one in ten forego handwashing entirely. Gross!

Einstein failed math class in school.

Correct

False! Einstein failed an entrance exam for one particular school, but he excelled in math class.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Einstein failed an entrance exam for one particular school, but he excelled in math class.

Humans and dinosaurs never coexisted.

Correct

True! Humans and dinosaurs missed one another by roughly 64 million years... but 41% of adults in the U.S. believe otherwise.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! Humans and dinosaurs missed one another by roughly 64 million years... but 41% of adults in the U.S. believe otherwise.

Alcohol doesn't kill brain cells, it only damages them.

Correct

True! Even in heavy users and alcoholics, alcohol only damages brain cells—it doesn't destroy them.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! Even in heavy users and alcoholics, alcohol only damages brain cells—it doesn't destroy them.

A missing person report requires a 24-hour waiting period before it can be filed.

Correct

False! Missing person reports are accepted at any point after an individual cannot be located.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Missing person reports are accepted at any point after an individual cannot be located.

There is no real division between the left brain and the right brain.

Correct

True! There is no real separation between either region of the brain. The left brain is capable of learning "right-brain skills" and vice versa.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! There is no real separation between either region of the brain. The left brain is capable of learning "right-brain skills" and vice versa.

Different parts of your tongue taste different sensations, i.e. bitter, sour, salty, sweet, etc.

Correct

False! Different regions of your tongue do not detect specific tastes and flavors.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Different regions of your tongue do not detect specific tastes and flavors.

For adults, most body heat is lost through your head.

Correct

False! Only infants lose most of their body heat through their head.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Only infants lose most of their body heat through their head.

You are more likely to be legally executed than killed by a lightning strike.

Correct

True! According to the National Safety Council, the odds of being legally executed are 1 in 119,000—but the odds of getting struck by lightning are 1 in 161,000.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! According to the National Safety Council, the odds of being legally executed are 1 in 119,000—but the odds of getting struck by lightning are 1 in 161,000.

Real ninjas always wore black.

Correct

False! The all-black ninja "uniform" is simply a product of folklore. Real ninjas wore anything that helped them blend into a crowd.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! The all-black ninja "uniform" is simply a product of folklore. Real ninjas wore anything that helped them blend into a crowd.

Your fingernails grow at different rates on each hand.

Correct

True! The blood flow in your dominant hand stimulates faster nail growth.

Incorrect

You chose:

True! The blood flow in your dominant hand stimulates faster nail growth.

Everyone swallows at least 8 spiders per year while they are asleep.

Correct

False! Spiders are only attracted to prey, which means they probably aren't crawling into your bed at night. In all likelihood, you swallow zero spiders per year.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Spiders are only attracted to prey, which means they probably aren't crawling into your bed at night. In all likelihood, you swallow zero spiders per year.

In the Bible, it says that Adam and Eve ate an apple from the tree of knowledge.

Correct

False! Adam and Eve allegedly ate a "forbidden fruit" from the tree of knowledge—nowhere in Genesis does it claim that fruit happened to be an apple.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Adam and Eve allegedly ate a "forbidden fruit" from the tree of knowledge—nowhere in Genesis does it claim that fruit happened to be an apple.

If you pick up a baby bird, its mother will reject it due to a change in smell.

Correct

False! Birds don't rely on scent to recognize their young. If you've ever picked up a baby bird, don't worry—you didn't unwittingly cause its abandonment.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! Birds don't rely on scent to recognize their young. If you've ever picked up a baby bird, don't worry—you didn't unwittingly cause its abandonment.

The Great Wall of China is visible from space.

Correct

False! No single human structure is visible from orbit, but you can see cities lit up at night.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! No single human structure is visible from orbit, but you can see cities lit up at night.

Toads can cause warts.

Correct

False! The bumps on toads' backs are actually just their skin glands. Only humans can give warts to other humans.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! The bumps on toads' backs are actually just their skin glands. Only humans can give warts to other humans.

Your hair and nails stop growing after you die.

Correct

False! However, your skin tissue does recede, which may make them appear longer.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! However, your skin tissue does recede, which may make them appear longer.

It is dangerous to wake up sleepwalkers.

Correct

False! If you wake a sleepwalker, chances are that they'll just be confused. In fact, sleepwalkers are more likely to injure themselves if they aren't awoken.

Incorrect

You chose:

False! If you wake a sleepwalker, chances are that they'll just be confused. In fact, sleepwalkers are more likely to injure themselves if they aren't awoken.

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The More You Know

  • The Nobel Committee declined to award the Nobel Peace Prize in 1948 because "there was no suitable living candidate." This was meant as tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated earlier that year without receiving the Prize.
  • Elvis only won 3 Grammys.
  • A man sued Pepsi claiming he found a mouse in his Mountain Dew. Pepsi attorneys stated that Mountain Dew will dissolve a mouse in 30 days, and showed his can was purchased 74 days after being manufactured.
  • There's a shrimp-like creature that makes aluminum armor to protect itself.
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