Is it true that we only use 10% of our brains? Today we’ll take a closer look at this pervasive urban myth. Do Humans Only Use 10% of Our Brains? The belief holds that deep inside each of us, there is an Einsteinian genius waiting to be unleashed. If we could only gain admission to the unused 90% of our brains, time travel and interstellar space travel would soon be within our technological grasp. We could solve the great problems of the world and live in a utopian paradise. All of our current human deficiencies are due to the fact that we can only access 10% of our brains. Our destiny is that of super-humans who have not yet achieved our potential, but until then, we remain entangled in our idiocy. Perhaps this is what many of us would like to believe, yet the belief that we only use 10% of our brain is nothing more than a widespread myth. The truth is that our brains are constantly active, even when we’re asleep or doing simple tasks. In a 2012 interview with CBS affiliate WCCO, University of Minnesota neurologist Dr. Michael Howell commented on the oft repeated urban legend, “This is [...]

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Today we take a look at the myth that sharks do not get cancer, a claim often touted by supplement vendors selling shark cartilage. Scientists disagree. The Misconception The misconception that sharks do not suffer from diseases (including cancer) has been promulgated by doctors and supplement companies pitching shark cartilage as a cure for cancer and a remedy for many joint-related problems. There is, however, no verifiable study of any shark-related product as an effective treatment for any human ailments. A Great White Shark with a large tumor on its lower jaw. Spreading of the myth may be attributed to books written in the 1990’s by Dr I. William Lane and Linda Comac entitled “Sharks Don’t Get Cancer” (1992) and the follow up “Sharks Still Don’t Get Cancer” (1996). The first book was also the subject of a segment by the news journal 60 minutes. Just like humans and the rest of the animal world, sharks suffer from bacterial infections, parasites, and infectious disease. The theory that sharks suffer from cancer less frequently is also difficult to document as afflicted animals are often eaten by others oceanic predators or simply sink to the bottom of the ocean floor where they decompose. Specific Shark Cartilage Claims Shark [...]

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A graphic circulating claims that Ato Essandoh, an actor who appeared in the 2012 western Django Unchained, was killed on the set by wild dogs at the request of Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s not true. Let’s first take a look at the rumor, which originally circulated in early 2013: Did you know? In Django Unchained, Leonardo DiCaprio demanded that the Mandingo fighter dubbed “D’Artagnans” actually be torn apart alive by dogs, and Quentin Tarantino decided to allow it. The actor’s death was real, he died in brutal anguish and horrible pain. Tarantino later said in a groundbreaking interview with Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes “It really captured the sheer evilness of DiCaprio’s character and added to the authenticity of the scene.” The actor, Ato Essandoh, was pronounced dead on the set by DiCaprio himself, but no chargers have been filed as Mr. Essandoh had volunteered his own life in the contract that he had signed prior to filming. At least Mr. Essandoh died giving a powerful and realistic final performance for such an amazing movie. Debunking the Rumor Aside from the fact that the narrative above is outlandish even to the casual reader, there are a couple of key facts which [...]

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Those who enjoy drinking Coca-Cola, commonly referred to as “Coke,” have likely heard the rumor at one point or another that the soft drink used to contain cocaine. It would be understandable for the savvy reader to dismiss this rumor as yet another urban legend, likely based on the beverage’s unique name. It turns out that this rumor is actually true. Coca-Cola actually did once have cocaine among its ingredients, and non-narcotic extracts of the coca plant are still used to produce the drink. History Coca-Cola was invented by pharmacist and former Confederate Cavalry Officer Dr. John Stith Pemberton. Pemberton was the nephew of Confederate General John Clifford Pemberton, best known for surrendering Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on July 4, 1863. Licensed to practice medicine and having earned a graduate degree in pharmacology before the Civil War, Dr. John Stith Pemberton was also a gallant Lieutenant Colonel in the Third Georgia Cavalry Battalion, and came close to losing his life during fighting in Columbus, Georgia, on April 16, 1865. A saber wound across his chest led to a lifelong addiction to morphine for the pain. It was during the years of the American Civil War (1863) [...]

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A video produced by Ted Turner which had been the stuff of legend for decades finally emerged this week. It is allegedly the final video to be broadcast by CNN in the event of the “end of the world.” History When CNN was launched back in 1980, Ted Turner stated that the network would play the National Anthem once upon its launch, and “when the end of the world comes, we’ll play ‘Nearer My God to Thee’ before we sign off.” Apparently Turner meant it, as an actual tape was produced for this purpose. CNN launched during the Cold War, and many people – including Turner – were concerned at the time that nuclear war was a real possibility. A screenshot of the CNN “Doomsday Tape” via Jalopnik.com Turner discussed the tape with The New Yorker back in 1988. He stated that the Armed Forces marching bands were assembled and filmed at the CNN headquarters. First they played the National Anthem, then, Turner stated, “I asked if they’d play ‘Nearer My God, to Thee’ to put on videotape just in case the world ever came to an end. That would be the last thing CNN played before we–before we signed off.” “Nearer [...]

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The Cardiff Giant is considered to be one of the greatest American hoaxes. It was conceived by atheist George Hull after an argument at a Methodist revival. Origin of the Cardiff Giant In 1868, while on a business trip to Iowa, atheist, tobacconist, get-rich-quick schemer, and Binghamton, New York resident George Hull found himself at a religious revival arguing with a Methodist clergyman. The disagreement involved the Biblical passage of Genesis 6:4, which claims that giants (sometimes referred to as “nephilim”) existed on the earth prior to Noah’s flood. Apparently, the exchange inspired Hull to enact a hoax which is considered to be one of the greatest in American history. Envisioning the ancient petrified remains of a 10-foot-tall giant, Hull procured a 10,000 pound block of gypsum in Ft. Dodge, Iowa and had it sent to a stonecutter in Chicago by the name of Edward Burghardt. Swearing he would not reveal Hull’s scheme, Burghardt carved the colossal figure and surreptitiously sent it to Cardiff, New York where it was buried on a farm belonging to Hull’s cousin. The following year, Hull’s cousin employed two men to dig a well on the spot that the behemoth was entombed. Here, the Cardiff [...]

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A bizarre story that went viral in 2010 described a grandmother and grandson who fell in love and planned to have a baby together. Now we’re taking a look back at the story of 72-year old Pearl Carter and 26-year old Phil Bailey to determine if it was real or a hoax. The story was likely a hoax. The story went viral after New Idea magazine posted it on April 29, 2010. The article was entitled, “I’m in love with my grandson and we’re having a baby” and described a relationship that developed between a long lost grandmother and grandson who had never met, but fell in love once they were reunited. The story contained quotes from the brimming couple about their plans to have a baby with a surrogate mother, and even included a photo of them with their hands on the surrogate’s belly. Some versions of the article claimed the couple was from Indiana, but it’s unclear where this information originated. The original URL for the story is no longer valid, but you can still see it at the Internet Archive here. No Corroboration Perhaps because New Idea magazine is a known media source, few news sites questioned the story’s veracity and [...]

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It has been suggested that Kraft and other types of processed cheese product slices do not melt even when exposed directly to a flame. The implication from this demonstration is that these “fake cheese” slices should not be consumed. The Claim Videos making this assertion have circulated since at least 2010 (some other debunking sites have erroneously stated that these rumors only began in December 2014), although a couple of videos in late 2014 went viral and even caught the attention of Kraft, the primary subject of these accusations. Commentator Glenn Beck also got in on the debate, with a short segment on the rumor. He described the popular video on Facebook (linked below) which demonstrates the claim as “disturbing.” The video linked in the “Post” link below is perhaps the most popular on the topic, with over 13 million views on Facebook as of this writing. Post by Brian James Kopa. Most of the videos have essentially the same claim and conclusion: These “cheese” slices will not melt, even when exposed directly to a flame. This in turn implies that the singles should not be eaten. Some commenters have attempted to compare the ingredients of imitation cheese to plastic. Kraft Singles Kraft Singles have existed since 1949, and [...]

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A popular Chuck Norris “fact” states that he was born the day before the Nazis surrendered in World War II. Is this true or false? It’s not true. For the last decade, Chuck Norris has been the subject of a series of viral memes in which amusing and ludicrous acts of gallantry are attributed to the noted martial artist. One of these trendy sayings implies that the birth of Chuck Norris ultimately brought World War II to an end. These graphics often claim: Chuck Norris was born May 6th 1945 The Nazis surrendered May 7th 1945 Coincidence? I don’t think so. While the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (shortened to NAZI) did surrender in May of 1945, Chuck Norris was born several years earlier on March 10, 1940. If you wanted to find a celebrity who was born on May 6, 1945, look no further than singer Bob Seger. Meme Variations Below are a few variations of the meme being circulated over the past few years. Bottom Line A humorously absurd online meme claims that famed actor and martial artist Chuck Norris was born the day before the Nazi party surrendered in May of 1945. The implication is that the [...]

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A series of photos claims that an arch (or torii) survived both an atomic bomb blast and a 2011 earthquake / tsunami in Japan. Is this true or false? It is False. A graphic circulating online contains a series of snapshots of a Japanese arch that supposedly withstood the atomic bombing of either Hiroshima or Nagasaki in 1945 and an earthquake / tsunami in 2011. While it would be a great story, this claim simply isn’t true. The arches, or more correctly toriis, that are associated with this claim are not the same. In fact, the toriis are located in different cities within Japan. Toriis are entryways to sacred Shinto shrines that are characterized by two upright beams and two crosspieces. In the claim circulating online, the torii in the first black and white picture is genuine and probably depicts a torii from either Hiroshima or Nagasaki which survived the atom bombings in August of 1945. Apparently there were multiple toriis which withstood atomic blasts in the two cities (discussed in a section below), a fact which has caused some confusion in relation to the black and white photo below. Some sources claim that it is from Hiroshima while others say it [...]

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A story tells of two girls who were buried alive by their father, and saved 15 days later by a mysterious man dressed in white who had wounds on his hands. Is this story real? There is No Evidence That the Story Really Happened. We have seen a couple of different versions of this tale over the past several years. Below is the longer variant: Subject: MIRACLE TOOK PLACE IN EGYPT THE STORY BELOW IS AMAZING. IT JUST HAPPENED RECENTLY. NEWS FROM EGYPT: A Muslim man in Egypt killed his wife and then buried her with their infant baby and 8-year old daughter. The girls were buried alive! He then reported to the police that an uncle killed the kids. 15 days later, another family member died. When they went to bury him, they found the 2 little girls under the sand – ALIVE ! The country is outraged over the incident, and the man will be executed. The older girl was asked how she had survived. “A man wearing shiny white clothes, with bleeding wounds in his hands, came every day to feed us. He woke up my mom so she could nurse my sister,” she said. She was interviewed [...]

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Numerous websites claim that sidewalk ice can be removed or prevented with a Dawn dish soap mixture. We decided to put this claim to the test, and present our results below. Online Claims A search on Google reveals a number of websites which claim that a specialized deicing mixture including Dawn dish soap can remove ice from steps and sidewalks while preventing new ice from forming. Does this actually work? First, let’s take a look at one of the claims which has increased in circulation in late 2013. The graphic below has been spotted on Facebook, and states, “For icy steps and sidewalks in freezing temperatures, mix 1 teaspoon of Dawn dish washing liquid, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 gallon hot/warm water and pour over walkways. They won’t refreeze.” Our Test and Other Reported Results Although the Dawn deicing mixture claim appears on multiple websites, it seems that results are mixed. Instinctively, pouring dish soap and water on frozen walking area seems like a poor idea which might result in additional slipperiness. For our test, we enlisted some friends in Iowa to try this tip on an icy walkway outside of their home. They prepared the solution exactly to [...]

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A photo of charred bodies is circulating online, with claims that it shows 2000 Nigerians massacred “2 days after Paris.” Is this photo real or fake? The photo is real, but the story attached to it is unrelated. First appearance: 2011 The photo (which we have blurred below) first circulated heavily online in mid-2011. At that time, it was claimed that the photo showed Nigerian Christians burnt alive by Muslims. That story was untrue. Let’s look at the 2011 version. A common caption read: Christians burnt alive by Sunni Muslims in NIGERIA…(Posted by Jillian Becker in Africa, Arab States, Christianity, Christians burnt alive by Sunni Muslims, Islam, Muslims, jihad)…..PLEASE SHARE IT OR JUST UPLOAD YOUR OWN…BUT SOMEHOW SPREAD IT IF YOU’RE EVEN 1% CHRISTIAN — It is still not over yet! — The photo and story were angrily shared by readers unaware that photo did not depict an act of violence, but the aftermath of an accident, as detailed below. 2015 In January 2015, the photo surfaced once again online. This time the caption claimed that it was evidence of a massacre in Nigeria. “This is Nigeria. A massacre of 2000 happened 2 days after Paris. They are not Charlie. They are dead.” That, too, [...]

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Several fascinating photographs and old postcards make the rounds on the internet depicting a frozen-over Niagara Falls. In 2014 a new set of photos circulated which showed the falls frozen. Does Niagara Falls completely freeze over? Niagara Falls tourism officials have confirmed that the falls do not completely freeze over, but that partial freezes are common. History Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls which straddle the international border between the United States and Canada, separating the State of New York and the province of Ontario. The three falls in order by size are the Horseshoe Falls (Canadian Side), the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, both located on the American side. The Horseshoe Falls and American Falls are separated by a mass called Goat Island. The American and Bridal Veil falls are separated by a mass called Luna Island. The original international boundary line was originally drawn through the Horseshoe Falls in 1819, but erosion and construction has long left the line in dispute. Niagara Falls lies on the Niagara River which connects Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. The falls combine to have the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world. The Horseshoe Falls has a vertical drop of 165 feet and it is considered the most [...]

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A common rumor claims that daddy long legs spiders are poisonous, but they are not dangerous to humans because their fangs are too short to penetrate human skin. It’s a myth. What are Daddy Long Legs? “Daddy Long Legs” is a term used by different people in diverse locales to describe a variety of creatures. It could refer to creatures in the Order Opiliones (also known as harvestmen). Another creature known as daddy long legs is the spider in the family Pholcidae, previously known as cellar spiders. In some areas, crane flies are also called daddy long legs. Small Fangs Regarding the part of the rumor that daddy long legs have small fangs and therefore cannot penetrate human skin, University of California Riverside entomologists point out that other spiders, such as the brown recluse, have similarly small fangs, and have no problem imparting venom to their human victims. Are they Poisonous? According to a webpage devoted to Opiliones on the Orkin website, harvestmen do not have venom glands, and thus cannot be poisonous. Below is a quote from the page: Unlike spiders, harvestmen aren’t venomous and don’t create silk webs. Unlike spiders that produce venom and deliver the venom via [...]

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A photo circulating online allegedly depicts a woman from the 1700’s with her 69 children. Is this real or fake? Miscaptioned The photo has been popularized recently by internet “fact” pages such as “History in Pictures” on Twitter. Consider a recent tweet which is captioned: “A Russian woman in the 1700’s gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, 7 sets of triplets and 4 sets of quadruplets in just 40 years with the same man.” The woman who had 69 children pic.twitter.com/ud9M5b1tyG — History In Pictures (@itsHlSTORY) January 13, 2015 Did a woman have 69 children, and does the photo below depict her? 69 Children It is claimed that Valentina Vassilyev and her husband Feodor had 69 children together between 1725 and 1765. 67 of these children were said to have survived infancy. It has also been claimed that Feodor Vassilyev fathered 18 more children with his second wife, bringing the total to 87 children, with 82 of those surviving infancy. There are typically three sources cited as proof of this story: from 1783, 1834, and 1878. The original source of this claim can be traced back to a 1783 issue of The Gentleman’s Magazine, which cited its source as being dependable because it [...]

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Have we been looking at the wrong map for the past 500 years? This question was raised in an episode of The West Wing which aired in February of 2001. The Map Shown in the Episode is Real, but it is not Preferred by Cartographers or Geographers. A video circulating in January 2014 showed a segment from a 2001 episode of The West Wing in which two characters are told that the map we have all known for the past 500 years is wrong. It is further claimed that, although the television show is fictional, the map is not. The West Wing episode, which originally aired on the 18th of February in 2001, features a discussion of a map projection called the Peters Projection, which is also known as the Gall-Peters Projection in contrast to the more familiar world map known as the Mercator projection. West Wing Video Below is a 4 minute video of the West Wing segment. The episode was entitled “Somebody’s Going to Emergency, Somebody’s Going to Jail”, and was the 16th episode in the 2nd season of the show. Select quotes from the clip above: “The Mercator projection has fostered European imperialist attitudes for centuries, and [...]

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A graphic circulating online claims that Mitt Romney said that Michelle Obama should be called “First Woman” instead of “First Lady.” Is this true or false? It’s not true. Let’s first take a look at the meme which has been circulating heavily in January 2015. “It’s false advertising to call Mrs. Obama the First Lady. First Woman, maybe, but certainly not a lady. Ann Romney is an actual lady.” – Mitt Romney, the Laura Ingraham Show 1/12/14. Origin The meme above was posted to the Facebook community “Stop the World, the Teabaggers Want Off” also known as “Stop the Tea Party.” That page posts a variety of outlandish memes with fictional political quotes. As of this writing, the page has about 40,000 likes. It appears that Romney, Michelle Bachmann, and Mike Huckabee are among the page’s favorite targets. The Romney meme above has been posted several times to this page. Laura Ingraham The date cited in the meme above – January 12, 2014 – was a Sunday, and the show’s archive of guests confirms that there was no show on that date, nor was Mitt Romney shown to be a guest at all that month. No reputable news sources have attribute such [...]

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Today we look at an alleged rare genetic mutation known as Alexandria’s Genesis, which turns eyes purple and results in a loss of body hair. It’s not real. Let’s first take a look at this fictional genetic mutation. Alexandria’s Genesis A common description of this alleged mutation is often seen as described below. Alexandria’s Genesis, a.k.a. violet eyes (a genetic mutation). When someone is born with Alexandria’s Genesis, their eyes are blue or gray at birth. After six months, the eyes begin to change from their original color to purple, and this process lasts six months. During puberty, the color deepens to dark purple, a deep purple, a royal purple, or a violet-blue color and remains that way. It does not affect the person’s eyesight. Those who have this mutation will never grow any facial, body, pubic, or anal hair (not including hair on their head, on their ears, noses, eyebrows and eyelashes). Women also do not menstruate, but are fertile. Fan Fiction: 1998 The origin of Alexandria’s Genesis was article posted to a Daria fan fiction website in the late 1990’s by a teenager named Cameron Miquelon under the pseudonym Alexander Lamar Eldritch. Daria was an animated series on MTV which was [...]

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Today we take a look at an image of an incredible spiral cloud formation with a description that the photo was taken in the Himalayas in 2009. The Image is a Digital Creation. First, let’s take a look at the description and the photo being circulated: “Cloud spiral in the sky. An Iridescent (Rainbow) Cloud in Himalaya. The phenomenon was observed early am 18 Oct 2009.” Deviant Art This image was created by an artist known on Deviant Art as repawnd, and was originally posted here in 2010 under the name “The Ruins”. The picture is described as a “weather generator”. In the comments, the artist describes in detail how he achieved certain effects. It should also be noted that the description of an iridescent rainbow often included with the photo does not matche the spiral cloud image. There is no rainbow or iridescent effect in the fantasy image. Real Image The description above was apparently lifted from the real photo below, snapped by Oleg Bartunov, which is no less breathtaking. This photo includes the following description: “The phenomenon was observed early morning on October 18, 2009 on the path to Khumjung in the Himalayas. The mountain pictured is Thamserku (6623m). Iridescent [...]

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