1960s
41 entries
Things people believed and taught during the 1960s
Brain imaging didn't exist yet. The left-brain/right-brain dichotomy got launched. The Stanford Prison Experiment was being designed. The food pyramid was being formalised. The Vietnam War created the lasting myth that returning soldiers were widely spat on (they weren't). Captain Cook was being uniformly celebrated as a discoverer. Most of what's in this decade is the seedbed of half the myths still circulating today, planted before the data was good enough to challenge them. Some of it took until the 2010s to be properly debunked. Some of it is still going.
The Berenstein Bears Are Spelled 'Berenstein'
The author always spelled it 'Berenstain' (rhyming with 'stain,' not 'steen')
Left-Brained People Are Logical, Right-Brained Are Creative
Brain lateralization is much more nuanced and overlapping
Bloody Mary Appears When You Chant in the Mirror
A playground trick relying on psychological effects
Nelson Mandela Died in Prison in the 1980s
Mandela was released in 1990 and lived until 2013
Eating eggs significantly raises cholesterol and heart disease risk
Dietary cholesterol has minimal impact on blood cholesterol for most people
The Moon landing in 1969 was faked by NASA
Extensive evidence confirms moon landing; faking would have been technologically harder
If You Pee in the Pool the Water Turns Blue or Purple
There's no dye that changes colour when urine is detected
Sitting Too Close to the TV Will Ruin Your Eyesight (Permanent Damage)
It might cause temporary eye strain, but not permanent damage
Cracking Your Knuckles Leads to Arthritis and Joint Damage
Joint cracking doesn't increase arthritis risk; it's caused by gas bubbles
Kirk Says 'Beam Me Up, Scotty' in Star Trek
This exact phrase never appears in the original Star Trek series
Giant Alligators Live in New York City Sewers
An enduring legend with no verified sightings
Daddy Longlegs Are the Most Venomous Spiders
They're not venomous or pose minimal threat
Walt Disney Was Cryogenically Frozen After His Death
Disney was cremated; cryogenic freezing is based on false rumours
Paul McCartney Died in a Car Accident in 1966
Paul McCartney is alive; the 'Paul Is Dead' theory is a conspiracy myth
Static stretching before exercise prevents muscle injuries
Dynamic warm-up is superior; static stretching before exercise may reduce performance
Cholesterol in food directly raises cholesterol in your blood
Body regulates cholesterol; dietary cholesterol has minimal impact for most people
The Bermuda Triangle is a mysterious area where ships mysteriously disappear
Disappearances explained by natural causes; no anomaly exists
JFK was killed by a conspiracy, not Lee Harvey Oswald
Multiple investigations confirm Oswald as primary actor
Touching a Toad Gives You Warts
Toads have bumpy skin, but they don't cause warts
All Dinosaurs Lived at the Same Time
Dinosaurs spanned over 165 million years of evolution
Different Parts of Your Tongue Taste Different Flavors
All taste receptors exist throughout the tongue, though sensitivity varies slightly
Prime Minister Harold Holt Was Taken by a Chinese Submarine
Holt almost certainly drowned while swimming; no evidence supports the submarine conspiracy
NASA Spent Millions Developing a Space Pen While Soviets Used Pencils
Fisher Pen developed the ballpoint privately; NASA adopted it later; Soviets also eventually bought them
Creative People Use More of Their Right Brain
Both hemispheres are equally involved in creativity
Dolphins Are the Smartest Animals
Intelligence varies by measures; many animals show remarkable cognition
MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) Damages Taste Buds
MSG is safe; it's umami, a naturally occurring taste
Bananas Are Radioactive and Dangerous
Bananas are mildly radioactive but far too weak to cause harm
The Killer Is Calling from Inside the House
A horror movie trope with limited real-world basis
MSG is a dangerous food additive that causes serious health problems
MSG is safe in normal amounts; 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' was never proven
MSG causes Chinese Restaurant Syndrome
Syndrome was never validated scientifically
Astronauts float in space because there's no gravity
Astronauts are in constant free-fall; gravity still exists
Raptors hunted in coordinated packs like modern wolves
Pack hunting evidence is speculative; solitary/family group hunting more likely
Febrile Seizures Are Dangerous and Cause Brain Damage
Most febrile seizures are benign; long-term consequences are rare
Space Is Completely Silent
Space has sound waves in plasma; silence is accurate in vacuum
Keanu Reeves Is Immortal or a Vampire
Internet meme based on appearance similarity in old photos; Reeves is a mortal human
Jennifer Aniston Has Had Cosmetic Lip Surgery
Aniston has addressed cosmetic procedures but details are primarily speculation
Subliminal messages in advertising effectively control consumer behaviour
Subliminal messaging has no proven effect; conscious persuasion is dominant
You Can Train Your Body to Never Get Dizzy from Spinning
Balance training helps, but your vestibular system still responds to rotation
Julia Roberts Was Assigned Male at Birth
False rumour; Roberts is a cisgender woman
Johnny Depp Is Called 'Pirates' by His Friends
Depp has a pirate nickname but it's not his primary moniker