Over a decade into the 21st century, science has developed with unfathomable pace and has continued to find answers for things small and large and finally at the doorstep of the reasons behind the start of the universe. However, as much as science has advanced, there have been incessant misunderstandings or misconceptions about the conclusions that the scientists come up with. Here goes a list of some science myths that demands a clarification.
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1. Brain cells can't regenerate.
Fact is that brain cells can actually regenerate. This myth is so common that this tale was told even in science communities. It was earlier believed that the growth of the brain would be hampered by new cell growth, but as a matter of fact, the learning and the memory centre of the brain can actually create new brain cells. This is the basis of the cure for diseases like Alzheimer's.
2. Lightening never hits the same place twice.
It can and it is very common. Remember this when you are attempting to dodge a lightening bolt by running to a place where it already hit once. Without a doubt, higher objects are favoured over the others until the lightening moves enough to find a new target.
3. There is no gravity in space.
There is lots of gravity in space. Reason why we see the astronauts flying around in the spaceship is because they are orbiting the Earth. They are falling towards the Earth but moving sufficiently sideways to miss it. Gravity exists almost everywhere. When a shuttle reaches the height of over 350 kilometers, its gravity is reduced by only 10%.
4. We use only 10% of our brain.
If this were true, why a damage in any part of the brains leads to cognitive or sensory impairment? While one is doing nothing, maybe this is true but in an entire day, humans use their brain pretty much to the fullest.
5. Going out in chilly weather leads to cold.
The cold is caused by viruses of the respiratory system and they do not appear in the body only because one forgot to wear a muffler or a jacket. Most of the times one catches cold by coming in contact with someone who already has cold.
6. Big Bang Theory explains how the universe was created.
Fact is that the Big Bang theory extrapolates from our observations about the present
universe that the early universe underwent a massive, rapid expansion
that has continued to this day. Some people have interpreted the data to
postulate that time, space, matter and energy had a beginning in the
finite past, but the central value of the Big Bang theory is the
explanation of the early expansion of the universe -- not how the
universe came into being.
7. Antibiotics kill viruses.
Firstly antibiotics are to kill bacteria, not viruses and secondly virus cannot be killed since it is not alive to begin with.
8. Bats are blind.
Bats have eyes and can very much see. However they rely on their senses of hearing more than seeing. In fact, they use a hyper-advanced sound-based system called echolocation to fly during the darkest of the nights and hunt for prey.
