Certain things in this world are unquestionably up for debate, such as whether or not cilantro tastes like soap. However, there are other scientifically proven facts that everyone can and should agree on, but somehow, some people still choose to disagree with these universal truths.
Here are 23 facts that have been unequivocally proven by scientists that the millions of people refuse to accept.
There’s No Such Thing as an Alpha Wolf
One of the most commonly believed myths is that all wolf packs have one wolf that acts as the alpha.
But this idea that there is one dominant male wolf in every pack is simply untrue. Wildlife biologists have found that wolf packs are just families; they don’t have an alpha.
Jesus Wasn’t White
More than 2.4 billion people around the world follow the Christian religion, which is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, who they believe was the son of the one true God. While it’s considered impossible to prove a religion to be true or false, there is one aspect of Christianity that can be proven.
According to the Bible and various other ancient texts, Jesus was born in Bethlehem in what is now Palestine in the Middle East. So, the idea that Jesus was caucasian is simply impossible; he would have had the complexion of a Middle Eastern man. But that hasn’t stopped millions of people from denying that fact and painting him as a White man with light-colored eyes.
Crunches Are Not the Best Way to Strengthen Your Core
Crunches have always been considered one of, if not the best, way to strengthen one’s core and get rock-hard six-pack abs.
However, research shows this exercise is not only not the best way to increase core strength, it can also cause substantial and lasting damage to the spine and neck.
MSG Isn’t Bad for You
Monosodium glutamate, more commonly known as MSG, is a flavor additive used in many foods, including canned vegetables, deli meats, and soups. The US Food and Drug Administration approved MSG years ago and has repeatedly told consumers that it is safe to consume.
However, even with the FDA’s approval, some people still refuse to believe that any amount of MSG is safe for the body. If eaten in excess, it can cause some negative side effects like headaches and nausea, but that happens with most processed or salty foods.
Camels Don’t Store Water in Their Humps
Millions of children have been taught that camels store water in their humps so that they don’t need as much water while they travel through the dry deserts. But that is simply not true.
Camels’ humps are actually filled with fat that helps them last longer without food; it’s their special red blood cells that enable them to go a week without water.
Dolphins Are Not Smarter Than Humans
The rumor that dolphins are actually smarter than human beings has circulated for decades, and there are still many people who believe that rumor to be true.
But while dolphins are certainly exceptionally intelligent, they are not smarter than people. That being said, some say dolphins are the second most intelligent animals on Earth.
Mental Health Conditions Are Very Real
Only one hundred years ago, people around the world had no understanding of mental wellness issues. Even once they realized that the problems were occurring in the mind, doctors of the time used horrible tactics like electroshock therapy and lobotomies to “cure” people of psychosomatic issues.
To this day, there are some people who don’t believe that conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar, or multiple personality disorders are actually real. However, scientists around the world have proven that they absolutely are.
Evolution Has Been Proven
Since Charles Darwin first proclaimed his theory of evolution at the turn of the 19th century, people have debated the validity of the idea that all living things evolved from another before them. Specifically, religious followers, such as Christians, Jews, and Muslims, argue that their respective gods created each organism in the universe intentionally.
However, over the past two hundred years, extensive evidence has been provided to prove that evolution is undoubtedly true. In fact, there have even been examples of animal evolution in one human lifetime.
There Is No Link Between Sugar and Hyperactivity
The vast majority of people still believe that giving sugar to children causes a bout of hyperactivity, most commonly called the sugar rush.
But there is actually no scientific evidence to confirm that sugar gives kids an immediate jolt of energy. They did an interesting study in 1995 where some kids received sugary drinks and others drank a placebo: both sets of children has excess energy shortly after.
Milk Does Not Correlate with Strong Bones
Many people who grew up watching the Got Milk commercials still believe wholeheartedly that milk, or more specifically the calcium in milk, leads to bigger, stronger bones.
However, scientists at both Harvard and Cornell have proven that milk consumption does not directly correlate with stronger bones.
Vaccines Can’t Cause Autism
The very first vaccine was created in 1796 to create immunity to smallpox. Since that time, hundreds of other extremely helpful vaccinations have been designed to help cure the world of a wide variety of diseases.
Although they are incredibly helpful and even life-saving, some people have started to believe that vaccines can cause Autism. Even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed this is impossible, there are still some who refuse to vaccinate their children to protect them from developing Autism.
Birds Are Living Dinosaurs
Paleontologists and other scientists from around the world have dedicated their lives to understanding dinosaurs. Including when they lived, how they evolved, and why they’re gone.
And while they certainly still have questions, they do know that the birds flying around Earth today undoubtedly evolved from theropods, which were three-toed dinosaurs like the Velociraptor or the T-Rex.
Flu Shots Don’t Give You the Flu
Have you ever heard someone say that when you get a flu shot, you will also get a mild case of the flu? That’s definitely not true.
Medical professionals know with 100% certainty that a flu shot does not give people the flu. It is possible for people to experience side effects from the vaccine that are similar to flu symptoms, but they didn’t actually get the virus from the shot.
There Are Intersex People
One of the more recent debates among the world’s vast population is whether or not gender is actually fluid and whether people can be born intersex or nonbinary. However, science has proven both of these realities to be true.
There are likely more than 5.6 million people in America alone who would be considered intersex, though many of them don’t even know it. Additionally, several scientific studies have proven that people can be and are born transgender, nonbinary, and gender-neutral. But that hasn’t stopped millions of people from denying this reality.
Climate Change Is Happening
Alongside gender neutrality, climate change is arguably the biggest debate in the modern world. While some understand that the planet is responding negatively to human interaction, others argue that it’s simply sequencing to a new normal as it has done for billions of years. Still some say that the planet’s ecosystem and weather aren’t changing at all, which is one of the most difficult stances to understand.
That’s because there is scientific proof that the climate is absolutely changing, and there is even more evidence that it is doing so thanks to humans and our use of fossil fuels, mining, and extensive pollution.
Frogs Won’t Stay in Hot Water
One strange myth that has been circulating for years is that frogs will stay in water as it slowly warms until it boils them to death. This story has been used as a parable for the human condition, saying that we as a species will allow things to get worse and worse without making a change if it happens slowly enough.
However, this tall tale is just that. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to show frogs will stay in the water as it warms. In fact, they will jump out as soon as they become uncomfortable by the heat.
Birth Control Doesn’t Cause Infertility
When hormonal birth control was invented in 1943, it took years before doctors and patients trusted its safety and efficiency. Now, millions of women around the world use some kind of contraception to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy, but there are still some who doubt the safety of the product.
The most common misconception is that birth control can cause infertility, but scientists and doctors around the world have proven this theory wrong time and time again.
Homosexuality Is Not a Choice
According to a global study conducted by IPSOS in 2021, 80% of the world identifies as heterosexual, 3% as gay or lesbian, 4% as bisexual, and 1% as pansexual. While those may seem like small percentages, that still means that almost one million people identify as non-heterosexual.
Some people believe that these one million people are simply choosing to be homosexual or bisexual, but science has proven that this is not the case. Although there is no genetic reason for homosexuality, doctors have found evidence within human brains to prove that sexuality is determined in the womb.
Wearing a Tie Can Make You Sick
In the movies, whenever a businessman is feeling overwhelmed, he loosens his tie. But did you know that there’s actually a scientific reason why men loosen their ties to relax?
It turns out ties can reduce blood flow to the brain by up to 7.5%, causing dizziness, nausea, and headaches.
Chickens Can Live Without a Head
This myth has actually been flipped over the years. First, people believed that chickens could actually live for some time after losing their heads, but then, the myth was debunked and no one believed it anymore.
However, it turns out that people were right in the first place: a chicken can actually live without a head. In fact, one chicken named Mike lived without his head for 18 months.
Clouds Are Ridicuously Heavy
Although many people refuse to believe it, clouds are not fluffy, white, pillow-like trampolines in the sky.
In fact, a cloud weighs around one million tons – that’s since there are 2,000 pounds in a ton, that means the average cloud can weigh more than two billion pounds!
Cats Don’t Ignore Commands Because of Their Personality
People have always believed that cats simply don’t listen to commands because they have independent and rebellious personalities, but it turns out that’s not true.
The reason your cat doesn’t listen to commands is because they were not bred to do so like dogs were. Dogs were domesticated by humans, whereas cats domesticated themselves.
Colds Aren’t Caused by Cold Weather
Finally, many people still believe in the age-old myth that cold weather can actually cause a cold inside the body. Doctors have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that cold weather cannot cause the cold or flu virus; only being exposed to another person with the virus can do that.
While a lowered immune system due to lack of sunshine or spending extensive time indoors during the winter months with others can increase one’s chances of catching a cold, it is never actually caused by the temperature outside.
