MISCONCEPTIONS PEOPLE WANT TO BELIEVE

THOMAS CRAPPER INVENTED THE FLUSH TOILET

Flush toilets were actually used in the Indus Valley Civilization

as early as the 26th century BC

THOMAS EDISON INVENTED THE LIGHT BULB

There were actually more than 20 inventors who invented the 

incandescent lightbulb before Thomas Edison.

THE SUN IS YELLOW

If you saw the sun without the interference of our atmosphere you’d

realize that it’s actually white.

IF THE SUN TURNED INTO A BLACK HOLE WE WOULD

ALL GET SUCKED IN

If the sun turned into a black hole the orbits of the planets would

mostly be unaffected because black holes don’t automatically just suck

everything in. The sun’s gravity would continue working as it does now 

except that at really close distances you would not be able to

escape its pull.

EINSTEIN FAILED MATHS

Not even close. He aced maths. In fact, he was a pro at calculus and

differential equations before he even turned 15. The rumour most likely

started because he failed his first attempt on the entrance exam for

the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School. Keep in mind, however, that he was

two years younger than everyone else. And oh yes, he definitely passed

the math section with flying colours.

THE ACCUSED AT THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS

WERE BURNED AT THE STAKE

15 died in prison, 19 were hanged, and 1 was pressed to death.

Exactly 0 were burned.

PEOPLE THOUGHT THE EARTH WAS FLAT

DURING THE MIDDLE AGES

Ever since the times of Plato and Aristotle, which was almost 300 years BC,

people have known that the Earth is in fact a sphere.

THE BLOOD IN YOUR VEINS IS BLUE

Yes, people do actually believe this, just ask your friends. And no,

deoxygenated blood is more like a really, really dark red.

THE EARTH REVOLVES AROUND THE SUN

Actually, the Earth is revolving around the solar system’s centre of

mass. Its technical name is the barycentre.