We humans are a weird bunch. Some of us are shooting a spacecraft at an asteroid to demonstrate that it's a viable technique to protect the planet but others still insist that swallowed gum will stay in our stomachs for 7 years.
Interested in hearing the most prevalent misconceptions, Reddit user FM596 made a post on the platform, asking everyone to share myths that are passed from generation to generation, and that people still believe in. Turns out, there's no shortage of those! Continue scrolling and check out some of the most-upvoted entries.
This post may include affiliate links.
That certain animal 'parts' have healing/magical properties. Like tiger whiskers protect the wearer or rhino horn cures impotence and hangovers.
We managed to get in touch with FM596 and they agreed to tell us more about what inspired their post. "One of the reasons I decided to ask this question was to see how many people will mention the thousand-years-old-myth of supposedly living in a democracy (in any country)," they told Bored Panda.
"Democracy was real and has existed only once. After it was violently destroyed, leaders used the word democracy to mislead us into thinking that what we have is the best we can get."
"Out of the 12,000 comments, only 12 people mentioned that myth, just 1 out of 12,000, or 0.008%. That says a lot about the level of political edification we get from the state."
Boys playing with dolls (or other traditional feminine toys) will turn them gay. Or that anything will turn people gay or lesbian.
Trickle down economics.
If rich people were putting their money back into the economy, there wouldn't be any billionaires.
However, after going through the replies, FM596 thinks not all of them are valid. "First, not everything posted as a myth is, indeed, a myth. Many [of the entries] are half-truths, others are imprecisely expressed or misunderstood, and others are definitely non-myths."
The Redditor believes that, "we are ignorant on many critical subjects, because: "a) we get a really bad education from the state, and b) we are being bombarded daily with misleading information that aims to serve the best interests of the powerful few -not the people, and that's a fact, not a myth, that's the world we live in."
That being out in cold weather will make you catch a Cold. The cold is a virus you catch from others and nothing to do with the outside temperature.
There is basis of truth in this one. People stay inside more during cold weather. Spending more time with other people in an enclosed space makes you more likely to be exposed to any viruses that might be around. Also, studies have found that airborne viruses are carried farther by the more denser cold air. Therefore, there is a greater chance of airborne viruses touching a person rather than ending up on the ground.
That you have to wait 24 hours before filing a missing person report.
Ironically, as much as we like to think that we value truth, we have also designed the world in a way that makes it really hard for it to travel between us.
There's a well-known MIT study from 2018 that analyzed the spread of news stories on Twitter. Using data drawn from 3 million platform users from 2006 to 2017, the researchers, led by Soroush Vosoughi, a computer scientist who is now at Dartmouth, found that fact-checked news stories moved differently through social networks depending on whether they were true or false.
"Falsehood diffused significantly farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth," they wrote in their paper.
That the hymen is a freshness seal like a snapple cap, has any bearing on virginity, and your first time should hurt and cause bleeding
Religion, easily.
I get that people believe in religion but they have zero proof that any of it is true.
That GMOs are bad. Without GMOs, we wouldn't have a lot of the food we have today.
We've been eating GMOs for 1000s of years. That's what selective breeding does. Some of the foods we eat would be poisonous in their original forms
That we use 10% of our brain. Power or capacity, this was actually proven to be b******t.
That shaving makes hair grow back thicker and longer.
When you shave, the hair is cut in two. The lower part of the hair is now the top, where it used.tot be the middle of a hair. The original top of the hair had to move up to skin level and further on and was damaged doing so. And damaged means thinner. So the cut side is al the way up and as thick as possible. And this is what you experience when it grows further on. Massive and thick hair.
I got pregnant in 2002 and people legit told me I shouldn't raise my arms over my head because the cord would wrap around the baby's neck. Not just great grandmas telling me this either. People at my restaurant job fussed at me all the time for getting things off high shelves. Insane.
This was hilarious! Can those people please draw a pic on how they think your arms and the cord ia connected?
That your generation is always the last good generation.
Swallowed gum will stay in your stomach for 7 years. Never seen a single wad of gum in the hundreds of thousands of stomachs I’ve looked into.
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.
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.
That birds will abandon their babies if they have a human scent on them.
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
I've always hears that this come from cats that end up sleeping on a baby and the baby can't breath. I have no idea if this is true or not.
Cats will naturally cuddle up to a warm little body. If it also smells good, especially if it smell like milk, then bonus. Thing is, cats will generally just lay next to a baby, not on top of them. While I can see the concern stemming from the fact that infants may be too young to have developed the instinct to turn their heads away if something is blocking their breathing, as a lifelong cat owner—-since my own infancy—-I can tell you that they do not lay on top of anybody who isn’t the person—-the adult—-who regularly feeds them, and even that is a rare occurrence. Every cat I have had, and I’m now 61 years old, has either loudly meowed or touched my face with their paws or their cold wet noses (the most effective way to wake you up from a dead sleep) to remind me it’s time to feed them. But only if I’m sleeping through their normal feeding time, since cats are creatures of habit.
Load More Replies...
Never heard this for children, only for pregrant women. Maybe this myth was born from the need to protect pregrant women from toxoplasmosis. But, then again, raw meat is much more dangerous for toxoplasmosis.
In the last 6 months I have heard that 1. My kids will get asthma from cat fur. 2. My kids will get a pendicitis from cat fur. 3. My kids will get sick often from the cats. All 100% false. Literally the opposite, kids who are exposed to animals have stronger immune systems and are less likely to get asthma. Most effective with indoor/door pets. Now, the cats stealing baby's breath does have a grain of truth. If it is super cold, cats will snuggle up to warm baby, generally laying on top of the baby. That is where the myth came from. The only article I found with this as a COD for an infant is the parent left sleeping baby outside in a stroller in the winter. This is common in some countries. Outside cat found a warm spot, unfortunely for the baby.
When my kids had a baby, their cat wouldn’t come near him. She was two years old when he was born and she was spoiled rotten. When they first brought the baby home from the hospital, she looked at him like “Who the hell is this?!” She actually had sibling rivalry. After a while she got used to him.
I heard this when I was pregnant, too. This coming from my SIL who didn't understand why she shouldn't smoke when pregnant ... because how would the smoke get down to the baby?
Some cats really love their new humans and make good protectors and watch cats for them. Look at that video of the babysitter that tried to hit a kid and the cat took off after that sitter and attacked her and good, too. That baby sitter was Afraid and should have been terrified!
Absolutely not! In all of my experiences, cats love babies. (Especially the females, must be some kind of parental instinct.)
Cats won't, but if they have toxoplasmosis, and you catch it from them, which can happen when cleaning the litter box, it can absolutely kill a fetus. It is estimated that about 60% of humans have it.
My cats always cuddled with my babies but under my watchful eye. My current cat Lilly has absolutely no problem planting herself right on my face when I'm on the computer or reading, lol
How about keep your cat away after you bear children because they will drink your milk,,,, just What tha...?
Yes, it's an urban legend and no one knows of anyone it's ever happened to - because it's never happened. As a youngster our cat had to be put down as this flake from round the corner INSISTED our cat had tried to do this. It was a house cat and was rarely out but she caused such a stink that the cat was put down. A real Karen..
That's on your parents then, to even consider doing that. Because legally they didn't have to.
Load More Replies...
When I was a kid, my cat loves to feel my pulse. He likes to lie on my neck. I could imagine, that this fear, that a cat steals the breath of a baby, comes from behavior like this. Maybe there was an accident, when a cat did this?
I hope you mean you knew someone. You don't want to be associated with such a person right?
Load More Replies...
I heard that when babies have spit up on their out fits, cats will snuggle up an lick off the milk spit up. I guess someone who doesn't like cats saw this event and decided to spread vicious lies.
My grandmother believed they could steal the breath from anyone and swears she woke up once in her late teens at a relative’s with a cat stealing her breath. She actually liked my cats throughout my life, but they were not allowed in her room while she was sleeping.
Is there a grain of truth here in that cats can carry diseases that can be harmful to a young baby?
Only if you don't scoop the litter for a few days. The risk is extremely low if you have inside only cats
Load More Replies... 
Ok, so I had a kitten when I had given birth to my son. Yes, she would sneak into his bassinet & sleep against his face b/c a) it was warm & b) he smelled like milk. B/c he was too little to move his head if he couldn't breathe, we decided it was best to find another home for the kitty. I think the "steal their breath" thing stems from situations similar to mine.
It comes from people who apparently can't close the door to the nursery and instead decide to get rid of their pet because it's too much work. Hopefully rhe cat got a good home, she clearly didn't before
Load More Replies... They don't 'kill babies' but, just like any other animal, might carry infectious diseases which can be passed on to humans.
You really are true to your name huh. That's such a stupid statement to make.
Load More Replies... In the 1980's in New Zealand, a cat did, indeed, climb into the baby's cot and smothered the baby. That's why you should keep the cat out of the baby's room and if it tries to jump into the cot, it should be punished.
Don't punish a cat, ever. Learn how to train it without punishment
Load More Replies...
About twenty years ago we had an outdoor party in October- a little chilly- and a couple kept their sleeping baby in her stroller. I look over at some point and one of our cats was snuggled in the stroller...right on the baby's face. I freaked out and grabbed the baby. She was fine but to this day it makes me sick to stomach.
Circumcision is medically beneficial enough to be *routinely* done to every male infant born, rather than just like.. you know… waiting to see if it’s actually necessary.
Pit bulls can lock their jaws. If they bite you then you have to kill them because their jaws are locked.
No, I am not kidding. I’ve heard this BS from the elderly and from kids. They just keep repeating this nonsense.
Only if it is a hybrid created in a Chinese research lab and one of its parents was a snapping turtle.
90% of the myths surrounding pregnancy and childbirth.
If the baby’s heart rate is fast it’s a girl. If you crave sweet things it’s a girl, if you are carrying “high” it’s a girl.
They’re the only ones I can think of at the moment but there are so many other myths out there.
funnily enough I had a major sweet tooth in both my girl pregnancies and was craving savoury foods with my boy. Didn't know about that belief though...
Lightning never strikes the same place twice.
As Fleetwood Mac would say, “Lightning strikes maybe once, maybe twice.”
Someone can be tested to determine their virginity status. Hymens aren't barriers, they aren't supposed to be broken, and they heal when they do tear. No one, not even a doctor can look at someone and know they're a virgin or not.
Bulls become angry seeing the color red.
Bulls become angry when men in stupid Prince outfits taunt them while crowds cheer and then the poor bulls get speared. Absolutely disgusting.
That reading in dim lighting will cause you to lose your eyesight.
If you watch the TV too much or too close, you will go blind
One that's still not known well is the white people in the south and middle America that think they are part Cherokee. You're like 99.9% sure to be wrong. Your family is wrong. There wasn't a "Cherokee princess" or any of that. It's a folks tale basically. And your grandma was told the same as a kid, she told your mom, hour mom td you.
People get defensive about this because you have to accept that A) Your family accidentally mislead you on something your whole life, and B) you don't have some magic Cherokee princess Native American blood. You're just white.
This is what happened with Elizabeth Warren. She was told this tale and believed she was part Cherokee. I was also told this and believed it while growing up. Almost all of my friends were told the same about themselves too.
Just a folk tale passed down the generations
100% true. I heard the same c**p my whole life. Did the old 23&me test... ZERO native DNA. I'm literally more Neanderthal than Native American.
Carrots improve vision. Has to be on the list for top propaganda campaigns. Started in WWII to cover for the use of radar. Still to this day more people I meet believe it than don't.
Carrots contain beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body, which in turn binds to a protein in the eye to make rhodopsin. Rhodopsin is a light-absorbing molecule necessary for low-light and colorvision. In turn, the absence of vitamin A can cause nightblindbess. So in a way, carrots can improve your eyesight.
Sugar does not make kids hyper.
Before you say "I'm a parent, and I can promise you it does", consider when kids have plenty of sugar. Birthday parties, exciting events, etc. *That* makes them spin up.
If sugar was a direct cause of making kids hyper, why can they sit on a couch mashing candy for four hours while watching Frost on repeat. There's also the fact that kids are... You know, kids. Sometimes they're activated, sometimes they're not. Regardless of sugar intake.
The right side of your brain is for creativity and the left is for logic. If I see one more psych student with that sticker I’m gonna lose it
In my country there's still a lot of people believing that first period blood is good for skin, like if u spread it on your face they say it will make your skin clear and you will not have acne if u did. It's dumb, stupid & disgusting.
Taking hot showers is good for sunburn. Helps draw out the stinging. When I was young I would always get sunburnt on vacation my dad always told me to take hot showers. I suffered through the pain thinking it would help. Turns out it’s the worst thing you can do.
Every once in a blue moon I stumble across someone who believes that cabbits are a thing. Some people genuinely believe that a cat and rabbit can bang and produce viable offspring, but anyone with an ounce of common sense should understand that it would be impossible.
If your eyes stayed open during a sneeze, those mf's would pop right out
But this actually has happened on rare occasions e.g. the case of a 44-year-old male published in Emergency Physicians Monthly, December 2015.
sex can make your vagina loose
... but only if it is with different guys... With the same guy it doesn't get loose. Although after you have given birth then it's like throwing a sausage down the hallway for the guy. *eye roll* I wonder, if the people coming up with bs like this ever had sex with a vagina involved somehow
If I get a raise at work, I’ll pay more taxes and just make *less* money!
This is not a sure thing. But in certain situations it could happen in the US tax system.
Having the overhead light on in a car while driving is illegal.
This isn’t specifically illegal. But it could be considered Distracted Driving, which in the US legal system is defined as “any non-driving activity a motorist engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving”. Distracted Driving may be classified as either a moving violation or a criminal misdemeanor depending on what jurisdiction you are in. To be realistic about it, you probably wouldn’t get in any trouble for having the light on unless you got into an accident.
That pissing in a pool makes the water go purple.
I was told as a kid if I touched myself I’d go blind. I used to love telling that to optometrists, until laser eye surgery completely ruined that joke!
There was also the myth that touching yourself would cause hair to grow on the palms of your hands.
That you should give cats milk.
Some cats like a taste of it, but not entire big bowls. Our cat, Bazzy, who passed away a year ago at age 19 1/2 (we adopted him when he was 9 weeks old), was partial to a little bit of half and half in the morning. Milk was too thin, and cream was too thick, but half and half was just right. He never has digestive or other issues from the thimble full I gave him, but the fats in it made his fur incredibly soft. As long as it isn’t poisonous (it’s not like I fed him chocolate or anything fatal for a cat, and he ate regular cat food), anything in moderation should be OK. I miss him terribly. RIP, dearest Bazzy!
Putting something still warm in the fridge will cause it to go bad.
Leaving it out actually allows bacteria to grow faster and putting it in the fridge will reduce the time it spends in the danger zone. Although, it should be put separate from other fridge items, as it can unnecessarily warm those items and potentially reduce their lifespans.
Putting warm food in the fridge acts as a radiator, heating up the fridge which can possibly ruin the other food in there, particularly if it's large.
That eating after a certain time causes weight gain, when in fact it has more to do with what time you go to sleep and not a specific time of the day
More like how much sleep you get, and how overall healthy your lifestyle is. Plus the fact that most dinner food is heavier and has more calories, and many people follow it up with with a sweet dessert.
That you won't get hired or taken seriously with piercings or tattoos. I've held a few jobs over the last 15 years that actually took your qualifications more seriously than your appearance.
S**t, even when I got my first adult job at age 20 as a medical filing clerk, I got my tongue pierced a few months later & my manager was like "you never had a lisp before" (tongue was swollen so I couldn't talk without a lisp) & when I showed her, she only said "hopefully the patients don't see it" & that was it.
I'm tired of ppl saying these things make you unprofessional. I respect those who choose to get tatted or pierced in unseen locations but stop telling ppl it's taboo. Times are changing & appearance does not necessarily translate into one's personality or intelligence
The reason astronauts float on the International Space Station isn't because of low gravity, they're would actually be 90% of Earth's gravity but its actually because its in a perpetual free fall.
The movement of the space station causes it to be falling toward the next point past the Earth horizon. The fact that it doesn't fall is one of the ways we know Earth is not flat.
Not a myth exactly, but more of a misconception.
Yawning is not because of boredom or for getting more oxygen to your brain. The latest research points to yawning assisting in lowering brain temperature.
Don't eat before swimming
i have eaten *in* the pool. swam about, bobbed, and dived. no issue. This also applies to swimming in the sea. check these tips out if unsure how to swim from Englan to France (and eat snacks on the way) http://cspf.co.uk/nutrition
My dad insisted that if you didn't dry your hair immediately after getting out of the shower you would "catch your death of cold." As far as he was concerned, letting your hair stay damp would immediately give you a respiratory illness. Similarly, putting away dishes that weren't completely dry would putrify and poison someone. I know germ theory wasn't very well understood when he was a lad, but water was basically the end of all things as we know it to him.
Losing 90% heat through your head
Well it's *sort* of correct, but only by virtue of the fact that obviously you'll lose more heat through uncovered parts of your body rather than any anatomy-specific reason, and having an uncovered head is more likely than any other body part; if you don't wear a hat then sure, most of your heat loss will come from your head, but if you wore a hat and no pants most of the heat loss will come from your legs.
That Nightshade is a poisonous plant.
The European variety of nightshade, Belladonna, is poisonous, however there are other varieties that are completely edible. When European explorers went over to the Americas and Africa, faced with the contradiction of seeing indigenous peoples eating nightshade stalks and leaves as a part of their diet, came to the conclusion that it must be because the indigenous people were closer to animals than humans.
To this day people still believe that Black nightshade is a poisonous plant— entirely rooted in racism, scholars across generations have defended this lie.
That women’s menstrual cycles sync up with each other after being around each other for a long enough time.
Years of this happening to me with women I'm close with. We're both PMSing together and we want to kill each other and everyone else. I know science says it's not true, but my experience says something different.
Checking Halloween candy for whatever the hell it was checked for - razors, drugs, whatever the myth was
It stemmed from a real story. There was a man who killed his son in 1970-something by lacing his halloween candies with poison to get an insurance money. He also gave poisoned candies to few other children (if I remember correctly, they all survived) to cover his tracks, thus causing a big mass hysteria and starting a myth which lives to this day.
That removing a gray hair from your head will cause ten more to grow back.
Right? LOL because if it were true balding people would gladly pluck the grays to get two more.
Load More Replies...
How do you add more? That spinach has an amazing amount of iron. Like all dark leafy greens it has some, but not a lot. Someone mad an error with a decimal point many years ago and some textbooks picked it up and for years it was taught.
That removing a gray hair from your head will cause ten more to grow back.
Right? LOL because if it were true balding people would gladly pluck the grays to get two more.
Load More Replies... How do you add more? That spinach has an amazing amount of iron. Like all dark leafy greens it has some, but not a lot. Someone mad an error with a decimal point many years ago and some textbooks picked it up and for years it was taught.
