You think you know, but you have no idea… (Picture: Getty Images)
As humans, we like to think that we’re pretty clever.
After all, we’ve been around for millions of years, have made countless discoveries and breakthroughs, and are often considered to be (or so we think) the smartest species of all.
Over our lifetimes, we absorb so much information, whether that be from our elders, teachers, and nowadays, the internet. A lot of which we just assume is fact – especially if it’s from a trusted source.
But, not everyone can be right all the time (hey, remember when the smartest people around thought the Earth was flat?), which means sometimes, what we think is right is actually, well, wrong.
So, in the spirit of learning new things, here are 7 commonly believed facts that are false – and the truth behind them
1. St. Patrick was Irish
He’s actually Scottish… (Picture: Getty Images)
You’d be forgiven for automatically assuming St. Patrick, aka the Patron Saint of Ireland was Irish.
For one, St. Patrick’s Day is like the biggest celebration in the Irish calendar (and one the rest of the world like to celebrate too), and secondly, he’s also known as the ‘Apostle of Ireland.’
Despite this, the fifth-century Christian missionary and bishop wasn’t actually from Ireland. Rather, he was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland, before being captured at age 14 during a raid of his hometown, where he was taken to Ireland to work as a slave, herding sheep.
After six years of slavery, he escaped and was reunited with his family. But it wasn’t long until he was back in Ireland again, later returning to the country to spread Christianity.
2. Sugar makes children ‘hyperactive’
Parents won’t believe this one (Picture: Getty Images)
Despite what a lot of parents think, there’s no scientific evidence that links sugar consumption in kids to ‘hyperactivity.’ This is a huge myth, and based on one single study from the 1970s, whereby a doctor removed sugar from one child’s diet, and that particular individual’s behaviour improved.
Additionally, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reported that parents are more likely to say their kids have ‘too much’ energy when they think they’ve consumed sugar.
The Academy pointed to a study where parents were ‘asked to rate their child’s hyperactivity after consuming a drink with sugar.’ Unbeknownst to them, the beverages were sugar free, but the parents still rated their child as ‘hyperactive’.
3. You lose most of your body heat through your head
Bobble hats are still chic though (Picture: Getty Images)
We’ve all heard many different reasons as to why we lose most of our body heat through our heads. From the lack of fat between the scalp and skull, circulation keeping your brain warm, and the fact that the scalp has so many blood vessels, all seem legitimate enough not to question.
In reality, WebMD explains that the head ‘only represents about 10% of the body’s total surface area.’ …read more
Source:: Metro
