Much to the frustration of grade school science teachers everywhere, there are a few stubborn science myths that just keep making the rounds. Why they stick around is a huge question on its own — maybe it's because they feel true, or the real explanation for a phenomenon is too complicated. Or maybe it's just easier to accept a myth because a lot of other people have accepted it, for whatever reason. Either way, some science myths just don't seem to be going away, no matter how many times the teacher spells out the scientific method. So it's time to put some of these myths to rest.
It's important to get these things right. Sure, knowing things like the facts explained below can win a bar bet or a pub trivia night — or at least settle an argument — but basic knowledge does so much more than that. It creates a baseline of common understanding. It's a starting point of reference, a jumping-off point for greater knowledge and discovery. And, what's more, who wants to live in ignorance? Spread the truth near and far!
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