Top 10 Common Misconceptions People have

Formally, misconception has been defined as the mind’s attempt to connect new information with the information already stored in the memory. But misconceptions should be identified and confronted as soon as possible. Misconceptions can be conceptual, non-scientific, factual, preconceived, or vernacular. There may be different reasons for the origination of misconceptions some of which include errors in textbooks, impaired judgment, imprecise language, self-defeating beliefs, distorted thoughts, fallacies, unrealistic thinking, limiting concepts, delusions, mistaken perspectives, personal experience, faulty perceptions of reality, poor discussion and unhealthy attitudes. Misconceptions could sometimes behave as huge barriers in the path of learning processes. Misconception always leads to false conclusion. Misconceptions can be broken in three simple steps, firstly identify the misconception, then confront that misconception and finally reconstruct and internalize the knowledge based on scientific models. Many people are living their lives with lots of misconceptions. The top ten most common misconceptions people generally have are listed below:

10. Great Wall of China can be viewed from Moon

Outer space or more specifically moon has never been a right place to see world famous Great Wall of China. Visibility of such a human made structure from space is simply a misconception of the people. Many astronauts and remote-sensing specialists have confirmed the fact falsifying the myth. NASA has even clearly stated that ‘The Great Wall of China Can barely be seen from the shuttle, so it would not be possible to see it from moon with the naked eye despite of its stretch over 4,500 miles’. The real truth about visibility of the Great Wall in fact is that under specific set of weather and lighting conditions, it is visible from low orbit only.

9. Hair and Nails keep Growing even after Death

The myth that hair and nails grow even after you die is absolutely false. Dehydration is the main reason behind this optical illusion. Actually, as body dehydrates, part of hidden nail gets revealed due to shrinking of tissues around the nail folds and therefore nails appear to be longer. Similarly, roots of hair gets revealed when the skin dries up or when the skin gets retracted and as a result an illusion is caused that the hair is naturally growing. Complex hormone regulation stops after death so growth of nails and hair becomes impossible because tissues require energy to sustain their functions.

8. Money can Buy Everything

Biggest misconception of today’s modern era in the minds of people is about money. Their thoughts illustrate that money is everything. According to them, happiness can be bought through it. Worries could be reduced.  Love can be found in the whole world. They think money provides fun, security, and friends too. These people are actually living in their dreams. They either do not have the ability to understand life and people or they do not want to understand. Such thoughts can ruin the lives very easily. They can also lead the person to off track. Happiness and love can never be bought; they do not have relation with money at all.

7. Jesus was Born on December 25th and is founder of Christianity 

25^th December is not the birth date of Jesus Christ but actually it was the birthday of the pagan God of light, Mithra. But people in 325 AD considered Jesus as the true God of light so Constantine, a Roman Emperor reassigned the meaning to the birthday of Jesus. Moreover, it is also a myth that Jesus founded the religion of Christianity because Jesus never intended to found a highly organized Church with man-made labels and membership requirements. Jesus was a founder, not of Christianity but a movement-a dynamic, relational fellowship of followers of Jesus who love God and love their neighbors as themselves. The movement set in motion by Jesus was loosely held together.

6. Heavier Objects fall Faster than Lighter Objects

Another big misconception of the people is against the rule of gravity. Gravity is fundamentally a force that holds together the universe. According to them, a heavier object falls faster towards earth in comparison to the light objects. But on a real base, falling objects regardless of the weight fall at the same speed on behalf of correct understanding of gravity. John Philoponus and Galileo showed that Aristotle’s theory illustrating this misconception was incorrect. The earth pulls everything at the exact same acceleration.

5. Humans Evolved from Monkeys

Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection never claimed the evolution of humans from monkeys. It is simply a myth in the minds of people. The theory of evolution stated that all creatures originally evolved from the same species. The true fact is actually that humans and monkeys have evolved from the same ancestor. In reality the arrogance and ignorance attitude of people is the cause of such a misconception. They find it inconceivable that we evolved from such a ridiculous unwashed creatures as a chimpanzee, orangutans, gorilla, etc. 94 percent of DNA of humans matches the DNA of chimpanzees.

4. Vegetarian Diet are Protein Deficient

Proteins are fundamental building blocks of the body and amino acids are fundamental building blocks of proteins. People again have a big misconception regarding the vegetarian diets. They think that veg diets are deficient of proteins i.e. deficient of amino acids. Current research has determined that though vegans eat a varied diet featuring seeds, whole grains, nuts, vegetables, etc. it is not necessary for them to consume all the essential amino acids at the same meal. That varied diet can give complete protein which is needed for optimal health. Vegetarian diets provide good proportion of carbohydrates, fat and proteins and vegetarian food sources i.e. plants are high sources of micro nutrients.

3. Sugar make Kids Hyper

It is simply a myth that sugar makes the kids hyper because researchers have stated that there does not exist any causal relationship between sugar level and hyperactive behavior among children diagnosed with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder. It has not been proved till yet that a sudden spike in blood sugar level causes a person to feel more energetic. The only simple fact is children love sugary snacks and has been known to get quite excited when they are given these treats. The environment the child is in may also contribute in defining how boisterous his mood is. Sugar does not lead to hyperactivity nut it does make the blood sugar drop which could make children distracted or irritable.

2. Skipping Meals helps you to Loose Weight

People generally have a mentality stating that they will succeed in losing some amount of weight if they skip their meals regularly. But these people forget that the skipping of meals may lead to overeating which then further results in weight gain rather than weight loss. When you skip meals, your body holds calories for future use rather than burning them. Not normal eating but erratic or over eating habits disrupt the normal metabolic functions. Never skip meals because it may lead to physical or mental impairment, chronic diseases like diabetes, muscle atrophy and hunger. Overall the potential benefits are much less than its effects.

1. Man needs atleast Eight Glasses of Water a Day

A man needs at least eight glasses of water in a day is the biggest and most common misconception in the minds of the people of today’s world. The real fact is exact reverse of it. Human body can absorb liquid from everything like fruits, milk, juices, coffee, vegetables, etc. that gets consumed; it is not that, only water as a liquid is required for the body. Water provides same hydration as other drinks provide to the body. Excess drinking of water can sometimes be harmful for body as it may cause water intoxication, inhibits digestion, affects blood sugar, inhibits metabolism which may result to death. Doctors recommend no over drinking of the water but drinking it only when you feel thirsty.

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