Debunking 31 of The Most Popular Myths

MYTH #1:

It's a little unknown fact  that there is an increased probability of death from an infant snake bite. As the tall tale goes, infant snakes can't control how much venom they release into their pray. Whereas adult snakes have learned how much venom to release in order to kill their prey.

FACT #1:

Snakes do not have the ability to control how much venom they release. Here's a fun fact for you; snakes are not immune to their own venom.

MYTH #2:

Dogs sweat through their tongues.

FACT #2:

Dogs pant with their tongues but do not actually sweat through them.,but panting is not the same as sweating. Dogs only have a few sweat glands located on their feet. They do keep cool by panting and breathing, however, using the moist lining of their lungs as an evaporative surface.

MYTH #3:

A mother bird will abandon her babies if you touch them.

FACT #3:

A mother bird will not abandon her young if you touch them.

MYTH #4:

Cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis.

FACT #4:

Cracking your knuckles will not cause arthritis. It could however lower your grip strength over time.

MYTH #5:

You loose most of your body heat through your head.

FACT #5:

You actually loose the same amount of body heat everywhere but your head is most likely not covered.

MYTH #6:

 Restroom doors are dangerously infected.

FACT #6:

According to a study by the University of Arizona, door handles have the least bacteria in the room. This is because door handles are to dry and hard for bacteria to survive.

MYTH #7:

Fish are stupid.

FACT #7:

According to the institute of technology in Israel; fish are smart and can actually be trained to do things.  

MYTH #8:

Nails and hair continue to grow after death.

FACT #8:

Not true. After you die your skin recedes from the body making fingernails and hair appear longer.

MYTH #9:

 Gum stays in the body for 7 years after you swallow it.

FACT #9:

Scientific American debunked this myth when gastroenterologist, David Milov of Nemours Children's Clinic in Florida stated that no colonoscopy has ever revealed abnormally old pieces of gum in the gastric system.

MYTH #10:

Throwing a Penny off the Empire State Building could kill someone.

FACT #10:

A penny only weighs a gram and it would meet air resistance so it may hurt a bit but it couldn't kill you.

 MYTH #11t:

The 5 second rule. You have 5 seconds to pick up food off the floor and eat it before it becomes infected with bacteria.

FACT #11:

This is not true.  It only takes  a fourth of a second for your food to become infected with bacteria.

MYTH #12:

Children will get a sugar rush from consuming too much sugar.

FACT #12:

This is untrue.  According to Yale Scientific,sugar doesn't really make kids hyper.

MYTH #13:

The color orange was named after the fruit and not the other way around.

FACT #13:

Before the late 15th century, the color orange was just lumped in with red.

MYTH #14:

Penguins mate for life.

FACT #14:

Some stay monogamous throughout a mating season, but not many stay monogamous for their entire life.

MYTH #15:

The forbidden fruit that Eve ate in Eden is an apple.

FACT #15:

The bible never says that the fruit is an apple.  It most likely stemmed from a play on the Latin word "evil" which sounds similar to "apple".

MYTH #16:

Napoleon Bonaparte was short.

FACT #16:

At 5'7 he was actually taller than the average man of his time. His nickname was "Le petite corporal" which means the little corporal.  This term of affection was likely the cause of the belief that he was short.

MYTH #17:

The earth revolves around the sun

FACT #17:

The center of mass in the solar system is called the Barycenter. Usually it is contained within the mass of the sun but not always. When it is outside the mass of the sun, the earth is just orbiting around empty space.

MYTH #18:

Mars is a red planet.

FACT #18:

Mars is actually a butterscotch color.

MYTH #19:

Goldfish have a 3 second memory.

FACT #19:

This is not true.  Goldfish can actually remember things for months.

MYTH #20:

Lightening cannot strike twice in the same spot.

FACT #20:

This is a false statement.  In fact, the empire state building is struck up to 100 times a year.

MYTH #21:

Shaving your hair makes it grow back thicker.

FACT #21:

It does not grow back thicker.  If it happens to feel coarser it is probably just because the ends are more blunt after a fresh shave.

MYTH #22:

Coffee is made from beans.

FACT #22:

Coffee is actually made from seeds. The seeds come from coffee cherries off the coffee tree. People just refer to them as coffee beans rather than coffee seeds.

MYTH #23:

Microwave radiation causes cancer.

FACT #23:

Only a few kinds of radiation can cause cancer and microwave is not one of them.

MYTH #24:

420 is the police code for marijuana use.

FACT #24:

420 is not the police code for marijuana use.

MYTH #25:

George Washington had wooden teeth.

FACT #25:

His dentures were actually made out of hippo ivory, gold, lead, and human teeth.

MYTH #26:

A flashback is the result of leftover drugs in your body.

FACT #27:

Flashbacks are a physiological l response not the result of leftover drugs stored in the fat cells of the body.

MYTH #28:

Carrots improve vision.

FACT #28:

This was WWII propaganda. The British army claimed its soldiers had great night vision from eating carrots. When they were actually just diverting from the fact that the fighter pilots had radar in their aircraft's to make detection easy.

MYTH #29:

If you touch a toad it will give you warts.

FACT #29:

Toads do not have actual warts, it is just their skin.

MYTH #30:

Swimming too soon after eating will cause cramps.

FACT #30:

This is just overprotective parenting.  You might get a little sick to your stomach if you exert yourself too much, but it has nothing to do with the water.

MYTH #31:

Wet hair will cause you to catch cold.

FACT #31:

Numerous studies have debunked this myth, and proven that exposure to viruses causes you to catch cold, not wet hair.

MYTH #32:

Watching TV too close will cause poor vision.

FACT #32:

It may cause eyestrain but will not do permanent damage to your vision.

From Lips to Lashes: 20 Beauty Essentials Every Woman Needs to Know

Banish all those beauty blunders that are leaving your skin and hair looking sub-par as you head out the door.  Instead, build a better beauty foundation and learn to put your best face forward with the following tried and true beauty trips.

Beauty Tip # 1

Soft on the Eyes:

Hold you’re hard to apply eye pencil under a flame for 1 second, and let it cool for15 seconds.  This will easily transform any hard eye liner pencil into manageable gel pencil eyeliner.

Beauty Tip # 2

Make Your Eyeshadow Pop:

When applying sheer or low-pigmented eye shadow try using a white eyeliner pencil across the lids of both your eyes.  The opaque consistency will intensify any eye shadow color.

Beauty Tip # 4

How to Create The Perfect Cat Eye in 5 Easy Steps:

Draw your cat eye first and then follow by filling up the open space.  This will allow you to enjoy a perfect winged or cat eye liner every single time it is applied. 

Step 1: Using an eyeliner brush dipped in black gel eyeliner, create the tail of what will be the wing of your liner. Angle the brush towards your temple starting from the outer corner of your eye. 

Step 2: Run gel liner across the top of your lash line. Apply dashes starting 1/4 inch from the inner corner of your eye.  Finish by connecting the dots, creating a smooth, straight line. 

Step 3: Draw a triangle off the tail from step 1 and create a diagonal line coming off of the winged liner you applied in the first step, and then connect it to the liner you applied on your upper lash line. 

Step 4: Fill in the triangle connecting the winged liner to the upper lash line thicken the line above your lashes to create a smooth appearance. 

Step 5: Clean up any imperfections using a makeup remover pen or a Q-Tip dipped in makeup remover. 

Beauty Tip # 5

Spoons Arent Just For Eating Anymore:

To create the perfect winged eyeliner application is to hold the stem of a spoon to the outer corner of your eye and blend for a great smoky eye.     

You can use the spoon to avoid any unwanted mascara marks. Hold the spoon so it hugs your eyelid and then apply per usual. Sweep the wand across your lashes and back of the spoon. The residue will coat the back of the spoon and not your eyelid. 

Beauty Tip # 6

Revive Your Stale Mascara: 

It’s recommended that women change out your mascara once every three months.  Sometimes you can extend that time period with a little help from saline solution. Add a few drops into the tube the next time your mascara starts to feel dry and flaky.                 

Beauty Tip # 7

Create a Mini Curling Iron for Your Lashes: 

Heat up your lash curler with a blow dryer to amplify the lash curling. The hot air will help your lashes curl a little bit easier and stay curled a bit longer. How to: Blow dry the curler until hot and then let it cool to a warm temp and use. 

                         

Beauty Tip # 8

Plump up Your Lashes:

Use a translucent powder on your lashes between applications to plump them up. 

Beauty Tip # 9

Sticky Fingers?

Use the tip of a clean bobby pin to apply glue to false lashes. 

Beauty Tip # 10

No More Fading:

Apply lipstick, then lay a tissue over your mouth and dust it with translucent powder. This will turn any lipstick into long lasting color stay lipstick. 

Beauty Tip # 11

Get Glossy:

Mix loose pigments with a petroleum jelly or salve to create your own lip-gloss.  I love using this trick on eye shadows that I rarely use anymore. 

Beauty Tip # 12

Brighten Up:

To brighten up a dull face be sure to exfoliate.  Squeeze a dime sized amount of an exfoliating cleanser into your palm and apply to your face using your fingertips. Lightly massage into your skin using circular motions with the pads of your fingertips. Be careful to avoid sensitive areas like the upper eyelids, corners of the eyes, and creases im the nose to minimize irritation. 

The best exfoliators are natural ones like sugar, fine grains, shells, seeds, rice powder, marshmallow root, coffee grounds, and salt. Here is how they stack up:

Sugar: 

Because of its ability to dissolve quickly it is tolerated well by most skin types.  Sugar is also a humectant; this means it draws in moisture leaving your skin soft and hydrated. 

Fine Grains:

Oatmeal and almond scrubs made with finely ground natural fibers that decongest pores and oatmeal sooths inflammation, making it perfect for sensitive skin. 

Shells, Pits, & Seeds:

Walnut shells, apricot pits, and grape seeds all have angular edges which help to loosen rough patches on elbows, knees, and ankles.  Heed with caution if your skin is on the sensitive side as the gritty texture could inflame sensitive skin. 

Rice Powder:

Ground up uncooked rice is delicate buffer for both oily skin and easily irritated skin and can treat pesky rashes or inflammation such as eczema. 

Marshmallow Root:

Rub this against your skin like an eraser (little pieces will fall off). This root has anti-inflammatory properties, making it perfect for acne and sunburns.

Coffee Grounds with Olive Oil:

Mix a handful of grounds with olive oil and rub it all over your body in the direction of lymphatic flow, which is up from the feet towards your heart. Any areas that have accumulated fluid and puffed up will see a reduction in swelling Thanks to the added caffeine.

Beauty Tip # 13

X Marks the Spot:

Draw an X on your upper lip first when applying lipstick to help perfect your cupids bow. 

Beauty Tip # 14

Natural Face Lift?

Apply concealer in the shape of a triangle under the eyes to conceal dark circles. The base of the triangle should be directly under the lash line and the point towards the bottom of your cheek. The shape conceals redness at the bottom and the sides of your eye and it gives the illusion of a lifted face 'since the brightest point is the most intense under the eye. 

Beauty Tip # 15

Contour Your Face:

Map the contours of your face using a gel eyebrow pencil since it’s easier to blend in and to apply precisely. The areas of focus while mapping your face are the hollows under your cheekbones, your temple, hairline, jawline, sides and tip of nose, and the crease of the eyes.  Brow gel pencils are easily smudged making it easier to control the placement of the dark pigment, making them perfect for contouring. Next, apply an allover cream highlighter on the tops of your cheekbones, center of the forehead, bridge of the nose, center of the chin, and on your cupids bow.

Beauty Tip # 16

No Rice Paper?

Did you just realize you ran out of your rice paper facial blotters? Don’t worry because a toilet seat cover can blot excess oil off your face just as well as rice paper can. 

Beauty Tip # 17

Do the Dew:

Wake up a dull and tired skin by using a dewy foundation. Be sure your foundation isn’t matte and skip talc based powders. They tend to leave your skin looking chalky.  Blend all over with your fingertips, and don’t forget your eyelids, and just below the jawline. 

Beauty Tip # 18

Wear Layers:

Wake up tired eyes by applying two eyeliners. Apply black or brown pencil deep into the lash line, top or bottom, or both.  Be sure no skin is showing, and then draw on top, not above, with a slightly lighter color. Ex: Bronze with brown and dark grey with black. 

Beauty Tip # 19

Get up and glow:

Use a golden or yellow based concealer one shade brighter than your skin tone. 

This will counteract purple and brown under eye circles. How to apply: Gently fingertip it from the inner corner of your eyes outward in a semi-circle so you have consistent tone all around. 

Beauty Tip # 20

Wide eyed and Bushy Tailed:

A volumizing mascara in blackest black can be applied by pulling the wand from lash roots to the outside of the eyes, pull toward the inner corner of the eyes to achieve a wide-eyed effect.