All posts tagged: myths

Cancer Myths and Falsehoods Can Be Deadly

Cancer Myths and Falsehoods Can Be Deadly

Published by Jenni Sidey

When we talk about misinformation, we often focus on its downstream effects: polarization, eroded trust, and fractured public discourse. Yet there is one corner of the misinformation landscape where the consequences are far more immediate, and far easier to measure: cancer. Cancer misinformation is not a niche concern. An estimated 40% of people will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetimes. And a growing body of research links false information about cancer prevention and treatment not only to a polluted online environment, but to real harm in people’s lives. A 2018 study found that cancer patients who chose alternative treatments over conventional ones had more than a twofold increase in the likelihood of death over five years. For colorectal and breast cancer, the mortality risk was 4.5 and 5.6 times greater, respectively. In other words, choosing alternative treatments was associated with a 350% increase in the risk of death from colorectal cancer, and a 460% increase in the risk of death from breast cancer. Why Cancer Is Uniquely Vulnerable to Misinformation Misinformation researchers argue that …

Debunking Common Myths About Reading and Child Development

Debunking Common Myths About Reading and Child Development

Published by Jenni Sidey

In conversations with families, it’s clear that almost every parent wants to support their child’s development, but isn’t always sure what actually makes a difference. When it comes to early reading, there’s no shortage of advice. Some of it is helpful. Much of it is confusing. And in many cases, well-meaning guidance has led to a set of persistent myths that can unintentionally hold families back from simple, effective ways to support their child’s growth. The reality is that shared reading is one of the most well-studied, accessible tools we have to support early brain development, language, and emotional connection. But to fully understand its impact, it helps to separate fact from fiction. Myth #1: “Screens Are Just as Good as Books” Digital media is often marketed as educational, and, in some cases, it can be. But it does not replace the experience of reading books together. The key difference is interaction. When a child watches a screen, even an educational one, the experience is largely passive. When a child reads with a caregiver, it …

Boosting Facts and Busting Myths about Mythbusting

Boosting Facts and Busting Myths about Mythbusting

Published by Sam Flores

Misinformation is one of the most pressing challenges of our time. The World Economic Forum has even identified disinformation (false or misleading information spread intentionally to deceive or harm others) as the foremost global threat, shaping public perception, eroding trust, and influencing policies (Ecker et al. 2024). Yet despite growing awareness, common misunderstandings and mistakes in mythbusting persist. Well-intentioned mythbusting is not necessarily effective mythbusting. In some cases, attempts to correct misinformation can even backfire, unintentionally amplifying falsehoods rather than dismantling them. Research shows that once misinformation takes hold, it can be highly resistant to correction (Walter and Tukachinsky 2020; Lewandowsky et al. 2020). Even professionals engaged in educational research, science communication, and media fact-checking risk inadvertently reinforcing misinformation if their approach does not align with the latest psychological and cognitive research. So, how can we bust myths without making them stronger? This article identifies six common myths about mythbusting and explains how to avoid some pitfalls. Instead of relying on intuition, mythbusting should be grounded in evidence-informed strategies, such as the fact-myth-fallacy-fact approach (Lewandowsky …

Cow tipping isn’t real and other myths about farm life

Cow tipping isn’t real and other myths about farm life

Published by Jenni Sidey

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time. I grew up on a dairy farm in rural Ontario, a fact that occasionally surprises people I know. I guess I don’t come across as a farm kid.  These days I live in a city and occasionally hear people confidently talk about the reality of farm life in ways I know are flat out wrong. Here are a few common myths and misconceptions about farms, along with the scientific truth.  Cow tipping isn’t real There’s a belief, mostly among city folk, that country dwellers like to tip over cows for fun (typically while drunk). The myth depends on a couple of things. First, cows sleep standing up, so you can sneak up on them in fields. Second, a person could push over a …

12 home solar power myths you shouldn’t fall for in 2026

12 home solar power myths you shouldn’t fall for in 2026

Published by skeptic

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Solar savings depend heavily on location. Solar panels can cause burns, shock, or death. Plug-in solar needs a battery during power cuts. Renewable energy is a topic that seems to be mired in a fog of war of myths and nonsense. It seems that everyone has an opinion, and a polarized opinion at that, and myths and nonsense are common on both sides of the debate. And these myths aren’t helping people who want to figure out if solar is for them or, if they’ve taken the plunge, get the most out of their investment. Also: Considering plug-in solar? My expert advice after setting up the DIY energy tech at home Time to do some mythbusting. I’ve been using portable solar generators and solar panels for years, from small 100 W portable units to arrays that can capture thousands, to simple but effective plug-in solar systems that shave a few bucks a month off the power bill. I know what I’m …

3 driving myths too many people believe

3 driving myths too many people believe

Published by Jenni Sidey

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time. The average American spends nearly an hour a day behind the wheel, according to the US Department of Transportation. Some people love driving. Others tolerate it in order to get around. But either way, on average we all spend a lot of time doing it. So it’s understandable if, over time, we all come to believe a few things about our cars that aren’t true. There’s nothing more human than believing myths, but some of these false beliefs have people wasting money or getting upset at people who are actually doing the right thing. With that in mind, here are a few widely believed driving myths—and why research suggests they’re false.  Premium fuel is pointless (unless your car is made for it). Diesel …

Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? Six of the biggest diet myths debunked

Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? Six of the biggest diet myths debunked

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore One of science’s main roles in society is to probe extraordinary claims, separate fact from fiction, and set the record straight. But it does not always succeed. Indeed, sometimes the exact opposite happens. “Science” itself can sometimes take things out of context, and present half-truths which, repeated over generations, eventually come to seem like total certainties. These ideas do not necessarily take root because they are true, but because they sound good, seem like common sense, and often carry the authority of being linked to an eminent name. When it comes to diet and health, this is all too common. I am not talking here about the fake news or outright hoaxes that proliferate on social media, but phrases and ideas with historical – and even academic – pedigree that have been mistakenly adopted as unquestionable truths. There’s no biological evidence …

Fans don’t cool rooms and 3 other myths about home energy conservation

Fans don’t cool rooms and 3 other myths about home energy conservation

Published by Jenni Sidey

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time. Want to spend less on energy? You’re not alone. Summer’s approach means air conditioning season is almost here, just in time for a global energy crisis. Naturally, we’re all looking for ways to lower our energy bills. There’s a lot of great advice out there, from ditching incandescent lights to getting a heat pump. But there’s also some energy-saving advice that is useless—and a few tips that actually waste energy. Here are a few common myths about energy conservation, debunked with actual science.  Closing vents in empty rooms doesn’t save energy. If there are rooms in your house you don’t regularly use—a guest bedroom, say, or an occasionally used rec room—you might wonder whether it’s worth heating or cooling it year-round. What if …

The 4 biggest myths about hydration, according to an expert

The 4 biggest myths about hydration, according to an expert

Published by skeptic

Are you drinking the right amount of water? iStockphoto Water bottles have become comically large in recent years, as health influencers urge us to drink more water for glowing skin, better brain function, improved athletic performance and just about everything else. But is gulping down litres of water a day really necessary? And can you overdo it? Tamara Hew-Butler is a physiologist who has been studying hydration for over two decades and is currently the medical research director of the Western States Endurance Run in California, one of the most gruelling ultramarathons in the world, which requires careful hydration planning. She’s here to pour water on some of the common myths. 1. Myth: Everyone should aim to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water per day The amount of water required per day differs for everybody, and it even varies for each person on a daily basis. You always hear that everybody needs 2 litres a day, which is about eight glasses, but there isn’t a one-size-fits-all rule. If you weigh 45 kilograms …

These 4 Linux myths kept me from trying it for years

These 4 Linux myths kept me from trying it for years

Published by skeptic

We have a lot of folks here on the MUO team that love and adore Linux like it was their firstborn child. There are many, many reasons to love the operating system, but even in 2026, there are some strange myths that make Linux feel like this mythical being that requires a degree in Linuxology to understand how to use it. I’ll be the first to admit that I fell for many of these myths for far too long. But after using Linux on a Chromebook that I converted into a Home Assistant server, I’ve learned that it’s an incredibly competent operating system. You don’t need to hack the mainframe to change your wallpaper, as the memes say, and I’m sad that it took me this long to realize Linux is actually incredible for most daily tasks. Related The state of Linux gaming in 2026: how close are we to 100% compatibility? Take notes, Epic Games. Myth 1: The command line No, I don’t need to master the command line just to open a web …