Are these 'facts' for real? Check out these common misconceived truths
Today we are wearing our myth buster hat...
There are those truths that have developed their stature in society over time.
They walk around with confidence as if completely and utterly true but the fact of the matter is that they are misconceived truths.
Some stem from science, others from health and history. Regardless we would like to knock some of them off the pedestal and shed the truth behind the 'fact'.
1. Praying Mantis
One misconception has been that female praying mantis eats the male's head after mating. We have to admit that the 'incomplete truth' here does support the concept of a 'femme fatale' status, which has been glorified over the years.
Mainly as a way of supporting female empowerment. But here's the truth,
"Sexual cannibalism occurs less than a third of the time (unenviable odds if you’re a male, to be sure), usually when the female is starving. Field studies have also shown that the male will sometimes eat the female, and that the female can eat the male’s head before or during mating—and continue on to successfully copulate." (MSN)
2. Detoxing
Do you remember that whole hype around 'detoxing'? Well, sorry to burst your bubble but it's all advertising.
The truth is that "the best way to detox in daily life is to let your body’s waste management systems—primarily your kidneys and liver—flush out unwanted substances." (MSN) It is quite possible that some diets may help support healthy organ function but don't get carried away by these dieting fixes.
3. Hands-free versus Handheld devices
Hands-free is safest. Wrong! The mystified notion that using hands-free devices whilst driving is safer and makes you a more responsible driver, is anything but true.
"But several studies show that hands-free is also dangerous, reducing reaction time by nearly a full second." This is because our brains can only allocate a certain amount of attention to doing certain amount of tasks. (MSN)
MORE FROM JACARANDA
4. Deserts and heat
Against popular belief not all deserts are hot or warm for that matter. In fact many can be cold, frigid, even foggy.
"One of the world’s driest deserts, the Atacama Desert in Chile, boasts pleasant temperatures year-round and occasional fog. The largest desert in the world—covering much of Antarctica—is also the coldest place on Earth, bottoming out at 89.2 degrees Celsius (128.6 degrees Fahrenheit). (MSN)
5. Chameleon camouflage
Another one that many of us pass on as a given is the belief that chameleon's blend into their backgrounds.
"Most species are born colour-matched to their natural environments for protective reasons; they can lighten or darken their skin to enhance the effect." (MSN)
However their colour changes are associated with making them stand out, so that they can attract mates, share their aggression or submission. "Some timid males even change colour to avoid confrontation by impersonating females." (MSN)
Image Courtesy of Pexels