Hey guys, Tris here. Finally bringing you guys some more juicy science posts here on Steemit! I'm finally done with exams (although not sure how happy I can be with my marks) so it's full steem ahead on the posting schedule! Hopefully this means more content so be sure to follow! But anyways let's get on with the article!
Here's 7 of the biggest science myths and misconceptions debunked, so you can show that one know-it-all bestie that they don't know everything.
1. Microwaves are Radioactive
The big fuss over radiation is a huge contributor to this myth and has lead to many people fearing one of the most basic appliances in their home. The truth is that microwaves use a particular, non-ionizing, low-frequency radiation that does not have enough energy to changes the atomic structure of what we put inside it. This is because the low energy of the radiation does not excite the atom's nucleus enough to part ways with any of its electrons. The FDA has also stated in the past that although no studies have shown the effects of low exposure to microwaves, they do not pose or threat or make food "radioactive" or "contaminated".
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Radioactive or not, nothing can completely shield someone from radiation. From the natural radiation of rocks to the cosmic rays of space - People are exposed to radiation nearly every second of every day
2. You can see the Great Wall of China from the Moon
This one might be from before we even could go to the Moon. But it's easily debunked today. Multiple Astronauts have claimed that the myth the Great Wall is visible from space is just flat out false. Some have gone on to say that it in fact dissapears at only about 270 km into the air, must less than the distance between here and the mooon.
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3. Mother birds will abandon their chicks if they are touched by humans
Not exactly sure from where this one finds it's inspiration, but it's a bust nonetheless. Birds as it so happens, have a quite underwhelming sense of smell and usually rely on sound and sight rather than hearing. This is likely due to the fact that their nostrils serve as important contributors to other functions such as excreting a saline solution to clean its beak.
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4. On the other side of the equator, the toilets flush backward
The equator of the earth does rotate eastward much faster than higher and lower latitudes - in fact, the further you move from the equator, the slower you are rotating around on Earth's daily 360-degree spin. Because of this, an object suspended in air, such as a plane, would appear to move differently depending on where you're standing, however this phenomenon does no effect something like the water in the toilet bowl.
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Whoever came up with this idea was likely mistaking it for the Coriolis effect, which is meant to explain the apparent deflection of objects moving in the sky.
5. A "Theory" is the same as a hunch
However, this isn't the case. A "Hypothesis" is an educated guess based off of observed phenomenon. A "Law" is an outcome of a phenomenon which has always been observed to occur and without which the phenomenon does not occur. A "Theory" is the most viable explanation for the phenomenon when encompassing all known experimental data with the multiple, and repeatable laws and proven hypotheses which explain the phenomenon to the fullest extent.
6. The North Star (Polaris) is the brightest in the sky
Although the star definitely serves as a valuable guide in the night sky, (Escaped slaves used to use the North Star by finding the big dipper which would lead them to safety. Fredrick Douglass's antislavery newspaper also shared its name with Polaris) the North Star is usually much closer to about the 50th brightest in the sky. The "Dog Star", Sirius, of the Canis Major is actually the brightest in the sky and can usually be see during the winter for the Northern latitudes.
Avid astronomers might often believe that Polaris, the North Star is the brightest in the sky... They would be wrong.
7. The Dark Side of the Moon
We can all thank Pink Floyd for this one, sharing a name with their famous album, this myth has very little basis in truth. The moon will always face us with the same side due an effect called tidal locking. So there is a side of the moon that we can never see from earth. But that side isn't always the dark side of the moon. For example during a new moon the side facing earth is in the dark while during full moon the side facing away from earth is in the dark. Just like earth has night and day, so does the moon. A day on the moon lasts about 28 days.
