1. A dog's sense of smell is not as strong as your sense of smell
We often hear stories about dogs' superior sense of smell, the myth may have begun with the nineteenth century neuroanatomist, Paul Broca, who described humans as "not smelling."
Although Broca did not provide any sensory testing to support this claim, it was until recently widely accepted. However, the truth is that different species can identify different types of odors.
Therefore dogs do not have a stronger sense of smell. Instead, our noses are different which means we are sensitive to different types of smells.
2. Your fingerprints may not be unique
Another widely accepted misconception from the 19th century is that our fingertips are unique. For this reason, filters, rings, and brackets on our fingers have played a major role in forensic investigations for more than a century.
Scientists have revealed that it may be a flawed method of identification, as there are all kinds of things that reduce accuracy. Furthermore, a study from 2005 details 22 known cases of fingertip errors in which people were accused of crimes they did not commit.
3. There are no “tasting sections” on your tongue
The tongue map is perhaps the most common illustration we see when we learn about taste.
Children in schools are often told that the ability to taste sweet, salty, sour, and bitter is divided into different parts of the tongue.
In fact, the idea of "taste sections" is a misinterpretation of the study about how strong taste can be recorded in different parts of the mouth.
Science debunked this myth long ago by showing that receptors for all tastes can be found all over the mouth.
4. You use more than 10% of your brain even while you sleep
It's not clear where the "10% myth" originated from, but many people believe it's a scientific fact, despite it being denied many times. One method that scientists have used to distort this misconception is called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Using this method, they measure activity in the brain while a person performs various tasks, and the results of experiments have shown us that most of our brains are used most of the time.
The exact percentage of brain usage at any one time varies from person to person and also depends on what the person is doing or thinking.
5. Tongue rolling is not a genetic trait
Biology teachers often teach their students that the ability to roll one's tongue depends on the dominant gene. However, geneticist Philip Matlock refuted this theory, stating that 7 out of 33 twins did not share this gift.
Since identical twins share the same genes, they must share this trait, which is not the case.
Thus, it is clear that genes are not the determining factor in tongue-rolling, and unfortunately, this misconception persists despite being debunked more than 6 decades ago.
6. You have way more than 5 senses only
The fact that we only have 5 senses stems from ancient Greek philosophy, specifically from Aristotle, who argued that “for every sense, there is a sense organ.”
Although more than 2,000 years have passed since then, children are still learning that humans only have the sense of sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell.
In fact, scientists estimate that we may have as many as 33 senses.
These include the sense of thirst, balance, temperature and many other things necessary for survival.
7. Cracking the knuckles of the fingers does not increase the risk of developing arthritis
The idea that cracking fingers increases your chances of developing arthritis makes a lot of sense. It's not unreasonable to think that putting pressure on your joints habitually over a period of years will leave some damage.
The good news is that there is actually no association between this habit and a higher incidence of arthritis.
However, this does not mean that you should continue to do this, as it can be very annoying to the people around you.
8. Swimming after a big meal won't cause you cramps
The general idea behind this myth is that eating a large meal will increase the amount of blood flowing to the stomach rather than the muscles, resulting in an increased risk of swimmer's cramp.
The origins of this theory are unclear, but the theory itself is wrong anyway.
You may not feel comfortable swimming immediately after a heavy meal, but it will by no means cause cramps and drowning.
However, having a snack rich in carbohydrates shortly before swimming is a good idea as it will give you energy.
