List of common misconceptions

List of Common Misconceptions

A common misconception is a widely held belief that is not supported by evidence or facts. Here are some examples of common misconceptions:

• Bats are blind: This is not true. While some species of bats have poor eyesight, most have excellent vision and use echolocation to navigate in the dark.
• Bulls are enraged by the color red: Bulls are actually color-blind and are provoked by movement, not color.
• Napoleon Bonaparte was short: This is a myth. In fact, Napoleon was of average height for his time, around 5'7".
• Vikings wore horned helmets: This is a common misconception perpetuated by popular culture. Historically, there is no evidence that Vikings wore horned helmets.
• The Great Wall of China is visible from space: This is not true. While the Great Wall is an impressive feat of engineering, it cannot be seen from space without aid.
• Humans only use 10% of their brain: This is a widely-held myth. In fact, humans use all parts of their brain, even if not all parts are active at the same time.
• Goldfish have a three-second memory: This is a myth. Goldfish can remember things for months, and can even be trained to recognize shapes and colors.
• The Great Pyramid of Giza was built by slaves: This is a misconception. While the construction of the pyramids involved manual labor, the workers were paid and were not slaves.
• Sharks can smell a drop of blood from a mile away: This is an exaggeration. While sharks have an excellent sense of smell, they cannot detect a drop of blood from a mile away.
• Sugar causes hyperactivity in children: This is a myth. While sugary foods can be associated with hyperactivity, research has not found a direct causal link between sugar consumption and hyperactivity in children.

See also

• Misconception
• Facts
• Evidence
• Myths
• Common knowledge