Popular Facts From Around The World That Are, After All, Myths!

Fact or fallacy? Confirmed belief or pure notion? True or false? The reality or the myth? There’s so much information out there- both first hand and that which is borrowed from the rest- that has shaped communication and interaction that often times we just don’t know the level of authenticity behind some things.

Which is why our mind remains enveloped by notions that are otherwise commonly believed to be true.

Let us bunk some myths that have, for ages, been accepted as hardcore facts from around the world:

Bulls become angry upon seeing the colour red

You’ve seen that in movies. You’ve seen that in famous comedy videos where the bull is chasing the matador.

More often than not, you’ve seen in aplenty in Spain. The bull, as they say, gets really angry and caught up in rage upon seeing the red colour waved at it by the tamer.

But factually speaking, it isn’t the red colour cloth that gets on its nerves; what causes anger to the bull is the movement of the cloth and not the colour so much.

Reason? The bull is oblivious to the colour red. It’s an established fact.

Goldfish only possess a three-second memory

One of the most commonly acknowledged facts from around the world is that the goldfish have a memory that lasts no more than three seconds. And that’s about it. Perhaps, that is the reason why they are noted for having a bad memory. Though in truth, these famous aquatic creatures have a span of memory that is anything but three seconds.

On the contrary, several researchers over these years have submitted that some goldfish have memory that could actually last for up to 5 months at a time.

How about that for some myth-busting.

You must consume, at least, 8 glasses of water each day

We are all made differently and have different needs and requirements depending on body type or structure.

Many have come to accept a widely acknowledged fact that on a daily basis one must consume, at least, eight glasses of water.

But in reality, there’s no semblance of truth to this.

The amount of water that actually needed by us depends upon our health; the kind of geography where we live; our daily activity levels.

And there’s no fixed rule to having 8 glasses of water each day. Though for sure, one must stay hydrated.

The only colours that dogs see are black and white

Dogs actually see colours that are either black or white in nature. True? Have you accepted that? Is this a commonly held belief? Well, it actually is you know! But, hell no. Your pup isn’t only capable of seeing just the black and white colours. In reality, what’s a well stated fact is that while dogs may not be entirely able to see each and every colour that is visible to the human eye, that are well capable of distinguishing between the different colours.

We swallow upto 8 spiders per year while sleeping

Sleeping. Perhaps truth has it that it is the only other human activity that we are perfectly capable of besides eating or talking. Something that does not look unnatural in any form or way. And amongst the most commonly accepted facts from around the world is that we actually end up consuming (yeah, that’s the word) up to eight spiders each year whilst we are fast asleep.

Sounds strange or completely awkward? Or maybe not, it’s actually outlandish in truth. Well, which is why this isn’t really a fact and is nothing more than a myth.

Anyone who made much of the world believe this was perhaps a master of parodies himself.

In reality, there is not even an ounce of truth to what is just a notion and nothing more. As a matter of fact, the eight-legged insects or creatures do not attempt one bit to intentionally come in contact with us humans. They may actually be circumspect about the vibrations that come from us humans, which is why they’d much rather keep away.

The only man-made structure visible from space is the Great Wall of China

Many have come to accept a common fact that the only man made object that is visible from the space is China’s Great Wall. But then there’s just no truth to this statement that isn’t riddled with some fact, and is entirely contrived of reality.

As a matter of fact, many argue that this particular factoid was nothing other than Chinese propaganda to fuel the might and power behind the Oriental land’s ingenious creation.

That’s all that there’s to it.

Napoleon Bonaparte was unusually small

One of the most ambitious, skilled and powerful emperors who ever lived regardless of any particular decade or age is France’s Napoleon Bonaparte. He was instinctive and courageous and rumors have it that the man who is commonly associated with waging wars on horses and those beautiful hats had an insane amount of zeal to conquer vast swathes of land.

Perhaps he didn’t fear anybody. But over the course of the past several decades, what has only gone on to add more potency to the Napoleon legend is that he was a man of peculiarly short height.

He was the perfect antidote, it could be argued, to being a giant.

What has, therefore, added to the allure of Napoleon Bonaparte is that he was a man of short height. But then many historians have argued what is believed to be a widely accepted fact around the world.

Was he really that small?

In truth, Napoleon may have been around 5″6 in frame. That he was commonly understood to be very small was all thanks to the artworks made by a cartoonist called James Gillray in the early 1800s.

But then don’t you get the point; the cartoonist was no French, and was British.

The body’s fingernails and hair continue to grow even after death

When we are alive and hail and hearty, the possibility of achieving just about anything is just incredible. And for real! Growth then is, not left to chance; it’s very much possible. Then whether we talk of growing our wealth or the layers of hair on the scalp- it’s all doable.

Against that narrative, what’s entirely surprising is the notion that many have come to believe, which is that even after one’s demise, the hair and fingernails on the human body continue to grow. And that they do not recede to a state of no-growth!

But then, there’s just no truth to this and it is entirely untrue. Both the fingernails and hair appear to be more than what they are at the time of a person’s death owing to dehydration and nothing else. They aren’t growing in any way.