The Myth Buster Thread!!

[shem]

Today while in the car stuck in traffic, I glanced at myself in the mirror and I noticed that I had several GREY HAIRS growing. I'm only 27

Anyway, good was to come out of it because it inspired me to make a thread about Myths. So I though we could discuss which Myths you've heard, and more importantly... come to the conclusion on whether they are actually myths or are they infact, true?!!!

Lets start with this one... is it true that if you pull out A SINGLE GREY HAIR, it will then be replaced by not ONE, but by TWO OR MORE other GREY HAIRS?!!

I really hope not

 

[lilleah]

Myth : It takes seven years to digest gum

While it may prove a bit more difficult to break down than organic foodstuffs, chewing gum gets no special treatment from the digestive system. Doctors figure this old wives' tale was invented to prevent kids from swallowing the rubbery

Myth: A penny dropped from the top of a tall building could kill a pedestrian

A penny isn't the most aerodynamic of weapons. A combination of its shape and wind friction means that, tossed even from the 1,250-foot Empire State Building, it would travel fast enough merely to sting an unlucky pedestrian.

These were taken off a site that I found on Iambored.com

Proved me wrong.

 

[katl8e]

Can't say, about that particular myth - I just color mine.

Contrary to popular belief, cats do NOT "steal" the breath from babies, though.

 

[rachelh1018]

Originally Posted by Shem

Today while in the car stuck in traffic, I glanced at myself in the mirror and I noticed that I had several GREY HAIRS growing. I'm only 27

Anyway, good was to come out of it because it inspired me to make a thread about Myths. So I though we could discuss which Myths you've heard, and more importantly... come to the conclusion on whether they are actually myths or are they infact, true?!!!

Lets start with this one... is it true that if you pull out A SINGLE GREY HAIR, it will then be replaced by not ONE, but by TWO OR MORE other GREY HAIRS?!!

I really hope not

Since I am almost a foot shorter than my boyfriend, he has found a few stray grey hairs on my head and Im only 20!!!!

 

[rachelh1018]

Lightning Never Strikes the Same Place Twice

In fact lightning favors certain spots, particularly high locations. The Empire State Building is struck about 25 times every year. Ben Franklin grasped the concept long ago and mounted a metal rod atop the roof of his home, then ran a wire to the ground, thereby inventing the lightning rod.

 

[rachelh1018]

The Five Second Rule

Having an arbitrary rule justifying the consumption of food dropped on the floor within a certain time frame is convenient, especially when said food is a brownie. Unfortunately, tests (and logic) confirm that germs will stick to most foods right on contact.

 

[evnshawn]

Lessee ... your hair does NOT grow back thicker or darker when you first shave it. It appears/feels that way because hair in its natural state is tapered. When you shave it off, the new growth is blunt and thus feels (and sometimes appears) thicker.

 

[zoe'n'misskitty]

Pop Rocks and soda won't make your stomach explode.
Might give you nasty gas, though.

Check this out.
Mythbusters

 

[miyas_mom]

As for the grey hairs, absolutely false, but the same grey hair will grow back again. I have a few and I'm 28. Ugh.

 

[babyharley]

Originally Posted by Zoe'n'MissKitty

Pop Rocks and soda won't make your stomach explode.
Might give you nasty gas, though.

Check this out.
Mythbusters

 

[jane_vernon]

Hairs that haven been shaved definately grow back faster and darker. Same principal of when you cut your hair on your head, it will grow back faster.

And your hair does continue to grow after you die!

 

[katl8e]

Originally Posted by jane_vernon

And your hair does continue to grow after you die!

Not really. Postmortem, the skin retracts, giving the appearance of hair and fingernail growth. This is most noticeable, with men's whiskers.

 

[jane_vernon]

Still gross!

 

[alaynna]

Snopes.com has some good urban legends and myths here are a few:


From the movies:

Wizard of Oz:

-A munchkin's on-set suicide was captured on film.
-A number of eerie coincidences can be found when Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" album is synched with The Wizard of Oz.

Three men and a baby:

-The ghostly image of a dead boy appears in a window.
Its actually a cut out of the actor from the movie

 

[jeanor]

Myth: A duck's quack doesn't echo.

I just saw that myth busted on TV last week.

 

[evnshawn]

Originally Posted by jane_vernon

Hairs that haven been shaved definately grow back faster and darker. Same principal of when you cut your hair on your head, it will grow back faster.

Nope, it just seems that way. Your follicles control hair growth, and they have no way of knowing whether you've cut it or not. Look at it this way; if your hair is halfway down your back, there's not much difference, styling-wise, when it gets a few inches longer. You still braid it/throw it in a ponytail or bun, curl it, etc. However, if you have short hair, a half inch of growth can seriously change how you have to deal with your hair in the morning. So, it seems like it grows back faster, but what actually happens faster is you having to change how you deal with it.

 

[wellingtoncats]

Neat thread!!

 

[pandybear]

Originally Posted by rachelh1018

The Five Second Rule

Having an arbitrary rule justifying the consumption of food dropped on the floor within a certain time frame is convenient, especially when said food is a brownie. Unfortunately, tests (and logic) confirm that germs will stick to most foods right on contact.

hmmm, i'll just pretend you didn't say that

i love that show mythbusters and have heard about lots of myths, i just can't be bothered writing about them now

 

[roofrabbit]

I used to hear the hair-myth all the time, back in my cosmetologist/makeup artist days (1984-2002).

Hair doesn't grow back thicker if it's plucked, shaved or waxed, those actions actually retard hair growth over the years.
I'll be 40 this year and only have one white eyebrow...always wanted that cool looking "white stripe" but genetics dictated otherwise.

 

[hissy]

Your toothbrush can get contaminated hanging in the bathroom

They proved that myth and they also found out that the best place to keep your toothbrush from getting germy (after trying all sorts of things) was an empty Listerine bottle tightly capped.