Have You Believed These Myths?

Blood: Blue or Red? 

Yes, your veins appear blue. No, your blood is not blue.  Starting in elementary schools, the myth that humans’ blood is blue has been believed by millions all over the world. However, though those elementary schoolers may think they know what they are talking about, blood inside the body is not actually blue. Veins in the body appear blue because of the light wavelengths reflected back to the human eye. Skin filters color wavelengths in different capacities which causes some people to see their veins as light blue, dark blue, or even a shade of purple. But in the end, all it comes down to is wavelength, not super-human-blood-color-changing abilities.  

Righting Reflex 

Have you ever excused accidentally stepping on your cat with the myth that they have nine lives? Well, let’s hope not since cats do not have nine lives at all. This myth originated because of cats’ ‘super-power’ senses. Because of an extra sense called the “righting reflex,” cats are able to – most of the time – land on their feet and survive falls at heights that would quickly kill many other creatures. Nonetheless, they do not have any extra lives that everyone else, they are just smarter with the single one that they have.  

It’s Not the Color, It’s You 

Have you ever heard of the Running of the Bulls festival in Pamplona, Spain? This is a festival involving running an 875-meter course while being followed by six fighting bulls. A major feature of the festival is the color red since many believe it makes the bulls mad and angry, leading for a more entertaining and exciting run. But after tests and experiments, scientists have found that the color red does not make bulls angry instead; bulls are red-green color blind. It is actually the constant movement of the red items that make the bulls angry. So, if you ever find yourself in Spain running in front of six fighting bulls and curse yourself for wearing something red, just remember it’s not the color, it’s you.   

Salt ≠ Faster Boiling 

We all know many people are extremely impatient, especially when it comes to waiting for water to boil, and an old wives’ tale stating that adding salt to the water will help it boil faster has had a grip on those impatient people for decades. However, no matter what those old wives say, your water will take longer to boil with the more salt you add. Why? Because salt has a higher boiling point than water and therefore makes your water take longer to boil than without the added salt. So, what are you going to do next time you think you feel your hair turning gray while waiting for your water to boil? Don’t add salt!