Common Knowledge
How many of these common misconceptions did you think were true?
Adidas Isn't An Acronym
Adidas doesn't stand for "All Day I Dream About Soccer". The man who started the company was named Adolf "Adi" Dassler. Adi Dassler. Adi Dass. The backronym came about decades after Adidas was founded.
Pepper Seeds Aren't Spicy
The seeds are not the spiciest part of a pepper. They're actually low in capsaicin. The spicy stuff is the white pith that the seeds are attached to.
Turkey Don't Make You Sleepy
We all grew up knowing that turkey was high in something called "Tryptophan" and it's what made you sleepy on Thanksgiving. Nope. Turkey doesn't have particularly high levels of the chemical.
The reason we get sleepy is just plain old overeating.
Irregardless Is In The Dictionary
Irregardless is a word—it's been in most dictionaries for the better part of a century.
"Ye" Is "The"
"Ye Olde Pub" is actually pronounced..."The Old Pub". There used to be a letter called a thorn, þ, for the "th" sound, but it went out of use with the advent of printing presses. Since they didn't have a thorn, printers would just use a Y instead. It kinda looks similar I guess?
PhotodriveStudio, Shutterstock
Razor Blades In Candy Is Not A Thing
There has never been a single confirmed instance of someone giving out razor blades, drugs, or poison to children in Halloween candy—though it has been proven that some guilty parents have tried to use the excuse as a cover.
The Buddha Was Skinny
The Buddha wasn't fat. At least, not a single source describes the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, as fat. The chubby Buddha you're picturing is actually "Budai," a chubby Chinese monk from the 10th century CE.
Sunilkumar Krishnamoorthy, Pexels
The Iron Maiden Didn't Exist
The Iron Maiden is a metal coffin lined with spikes, an icon of Medieval instruments of torment. The only problem? They never existed. Every single Iron Maiden you've ever seen was built after the 18th century and just for display.
Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum, Wikimedia Commons
Not A Single Witch Was Burned At Salem
Of the 19 people executed during the Salem witch trials, none were burned. Most were hanged, some passed behind bars, and one man was crushed while the citizenry was trying to extract a confession from him.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
The Chevy Nova Doesn't Mean "No Go"
People loved to make fun of the Chevrolet Nova, saying it meant "No go" it Spanish. Some people even said that's why the car was a failure in Mexico. But guess what: It sold great in Mexico, and everyone understood Nova to mean "new".
RL GNZLZ, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Searing Doesn't Do What You Think
Searing doesn't seal in moisture; it actually makes your meat lose moisture. You do it for flavor, texture, or color—but not moisture.
Naotake Murayama, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Twinkies Don't Last That Long
Twinkies are actually relatively low in preservatives, and their shelf life is only about 45 days.
Fortune Cookies Aren't Chinese
Fortune cookies are popular in American Chinese restaurants, but not because they're from China. Fortune cookies were actually invented in...Japan.
Ksayer1, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Peanut Butter Existed Long Before George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver did not invent peanut butter. Peanut butter has been around since the time of the Aztecs. Carver's innovations in peanuts, soy, and other crops were all related to his agricultural advancements.
Color Movies Existed Long Before Oz
The Wizard of Oz was not the first feature-length movie in color. Color film had been around for over two decades when it was released.
The Spanish Lisp Isn't Because Of A King
If you've met someone who's been to Spain, you've probably heard that the reason some Spanish dialects pronounce a "th" sound in imitation of a medieval king who had a lisp.
Well, there was a King Peter of Castile who did have a lisp—but the rise of the sound in Spanish dialects didn't actually start until long after his death.
Krakenimages.com, Shutterstock
You Can File Missing Persons Reports Immediately
You don't have to wait 24 hours to file a missing person report. If you have reason to believe something is wrong, you can report it right away!
Officers Can lie
Plainclothes officers definitely do not need to identify themselves by law, and it is not "entrapment" for an undercover officer to lie.
Undocumented Immigrants Lay Low
Undocumented immigrants actually have a far lower crime rate than American citizens. Statistically, US-born citizens are four times more likely to be arrested than an undocumented immigrant.
Sleepin' With The Fishes Isn't Real
There's not a single documented case of the mafia or any other kind of organized crime family using "cement shoes" to eliminate someone—the French Army did actually do it during the Algerian War though!
You Have The Right To Remain Silent!
Officers forgetting to read you your Miranda rights is not a "get out of jail free card". You can still definitely be tried—though any statements you made will be inadmissible at least.
Immaculate Conception Isn't What You Think
The "Immaculate Conception" does not refer to the fact that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was born. Rather, it's the belief that Mary was born free of original sin.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
St. Peter Is A LIAR
Not only is St. Peter's Cathedral not the official seat of the Pope, it's not even really a cathedral! By definition, a cathedral needs to be the seat of a bishop, and the Pope's actual seat is Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran.
Sergey Ashmarin, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The People Who Built The Pyramids Got Paid
The Pyramids of Egypt were not build by slaves. In fact, there is detailed archaeological evidence of the skilled workers who built the Pyramids in return for high-quality food rations and tax exemptions.
Ricardo Liberato, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Greek Sculptures Weren't White
The bare marble look of Ancient Greek sculptures is very misleading. Back in the day they would have been painted with incredibly gaudy colors. Kinda changes the vibe...
The Vomitorium Wasn't For That...
The Romans did have rooms called Vomitorium, but they weren't for upchucking after a hedonistic feast. They were the tunnels through which crowds would enter and exit a stadium—they would "spew" out of the tunnels.
Norbert Nagel, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
They Didn't Salt The Earth At Carthage
When the Romans defeated the Carthaginians, they did indeed raze the city and block anyone from living there again for centuries—but they didn't salt the earth so nothing would ever grow again. Some scholar just made that up in the 19th century and it stuck for years.
Julius Caesar Wasn't Born By Caesarian
Caesarian sections were occasionally performed in ancient times, but the mother could not survive the operation. Seeing as Caesar's mom lived until he was at least 45, that one's bogus. The name "caesarian" likely comes from caedere, Latin for "cut".
People In The Middle Ages Lived Long Lives
The average life expectancy in the Middle Ages was as low as 33 years, that's misleading. The reason the number is so low is because infant mortality rates were astronomical compared to today. If you made it to age 20, you could probably expect to live until at least your mid-60s.
Sailko, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Vikings Didn't Have Horns
There isn't a single actual example of a Viking helmet with horns on it. It was invented for a German opera in the 19th century.
Marco Polo Didn't Bring Noodles Back From China
Marco Polo described the noodles he found in China as "similar to lasagna," ie. they already had lasagna in Italy at the time.
Netflix, Marco Polo (2014–2016)
People Have Known The Earth Is Flat FOREVER
It's not old-fashioned to believe that the Earth is flat. Scholars have put together that earth is a sphere since at least 500 BCE.
Martin Behaim, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
An Apple Never Fell On Isaac Newton's Head
Isaac Newton was inspired to study gravity while sitting under an apple tree, but one didn't hit him in the head. He was just watching them fall to the ground.
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