Great article, as usual from Nautilus!
I would like to add one more myth the list. The idea that we all have a finite amount of brains cells.
They used to teach that we’re all born with a certain amount of brain cells, and over time from aging, or getting a concussion, or if you ‘do drugs’, you would lose said cells. And that’s that. No more new brain cells :)
We know this to be false now. I don’t know how much this one has persisted, I haven’t heard it in a while. But it was drilled into my head as a kid.
Not related to brains, but another health myth that comes to mind is the idea that our tounges & taste buds are divided into ‘zones’ that perceive the different flavors. I don’t remember the order, but something like the tip tastes sweet, the middle is umami, the sides are sour, et cetera.
Now we understand all taste buds taste all flavors. Is is interesting these old models science came up with to try to explain things, and how long some of them persisted.
PS: Check out the 2002 album ‘Phrenology’ by the Roots. It’s a classic!
I would like to add one more myth the list. The idea that we all have a finite amount of brains cells.
They used to teach that we’re all born with a certain amount of brain cells, and over time from aging, or getting a concussion, or if you ‘do drugs’, you would lose said cells. And that’s that. No more new brain cells :)
We know this to be false now. I don’t know how much this one has persisted, I haven’t heard it in a while. But it was drilled into my head as a kid.
Not related to brains, but another health myth that comes to mind is the idea that our tounges & taste buds are divided into ‘zones’ that perceive the different flavors. I don’t remember the order, but something like the tip tastes sweet, the middle is umami, the sides are sour, et cetera.
Now we understand all taste buds taste all flavors. Is is interesting these old models science came up with to try to explain things, and how long some of them persisted.
PS: Check out the 2002 album ‘Phrenology’ by the Roots. It’s a classic!