Australia does experience earthquakes. It sits in a stable continental region of the Australian Plate, so quakes are less frequent than at plate boundaries, but intraplate faults still rupture. Geoscience Australia records on average about 100 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more each year. Notable events include the 14 October 1968 Meckering quake (magnitude 6.5), the 1988 Tennant Creek sequence (up to magnitude 6.6, Australia's largest recorded), and the 28 December 1989 Newcastle earthquake (about magnitude 5.6), which killed 13 people and damaged tens of thousands of buildings.
Dogs are not limited to black-and-white vision. They are dichromats: two cone types let them distinguish blues and yellows (and combinations of those), while reds and greens are hard to separate—similar to red-green color blindness in humans. Jay Neitz, Tim Geist, and Gerald Jacobs demonstrated canine color vision in a 1989 Visual Neuroscience study. Dogs also have more rods than humans, which favors low-light and motion detection over our richer daytime color range.
Eggs are extremely bad for cholesterol and should be avoided
What we know now
Studies show eggs have minimal impact on blood cholesterol for most people and provide valuable nutrients. The American Heart Association (AHA) dropped its specific recommendation to limit eggs in 2002. Since then, multiple studies have shown that eating eggs—even up to 12 per week—does not significantly impact cholesterol levels or increase cardiovascular risk in most people, including those at higher risk for heart disease.
Computers are just a fad and will never be in every home
What we know now
The personal computer revolution proved this spectacularly wrong with billions now owning multiple computing devices. The rise of companies like Microsoft, Apple, and IBM, along with the internet boom, made personal computing ubiquitous by the mid-to-late 1990s.
The old schoolbook picture of dinosaurs as slow, cold-blooded lizards is outdated. Dinosaurs were generally active animals, many lineages show signs of elevated metabolism or warm-bloodedness, and birds (living dinosaurs) are warm-blooded. Metabolism likely varied across groups, and details are still researched.
Crack Cocaine Was Instantly Addictive After One Use
What we know now
While crack cocaine is highly addictive, the idea that it was instantly addictive after a single use was a widespread misconception, often fueled by sensationalized media and political rhetoric during the 1980s. Addiction risk is high but not universally true for everyone. Addiction is a complex process influenced by multiple factors.
In the early years of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, it was often mistakenly perceived as a disease exclusive to gay men. It was later understood that AIDS is caused by the HIV virus, which can affect anyone regardless of sexual orientation, and is transmitted through specific bodily fluids.
The food pyramid was a dietary guideline that emphasized a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. However, it was later revised to focus on a more plant-based diet with a greater emphasis on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
The origins of this myth are unclear but it possibly arose as a way for parents and teachers to discourage children from swallowing gum and other non-food items. Medical professionals and scientific sources have consistently debunked this myth. Gum is digested by the body within 24-48 hours.
Lightning often hits the same tall or conductive structures repeatedly. Tall buildings and towers can be struck many times in a single storm because electrical discharge is not limited to one strike per location.
Bears do enter winter dormancy (often called hibernation), but they do not sleep straight through the season. Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists note that denning bears wake periodically to shift position, can leave a flooded or damaged den, and that cubs are born in the den while the mother is dormant. A bear's body temperature drops only about 8–12°F during this period, not to near-freezing like smaller hibernators such as ground squirrels. If food is available, many bears do not den at all.
Everest is the highest mountain above sea level, but Mauna Kea in Hawaii is taller when measured from its base on the ocean floor. The difference depends on how "tallest" is defined.
Humans swallow an average of eight spiders per year in their sleep
What we know now
This claim is an urban legend with no evidence behind it. Spiders generally avoid sleeping humans, and there is no reason to believe people routinely swallow spiders while asleep.
Research shows goldfish can remember feeding routines, navigate mazes, and retain information for weeks or months. The three-second claim is a popular myth, not supported by animal behavior studies.
Alcohol can make your skin feel warm by dilating blood vessels near the surface, but it increases heat loss and can lower core body temperature. It can raise hypothermia risk even when it feels comforting.
A penny dropped from a skyscraper can kill someone below
What we know now
A falling penny reaches terminal velocity quickly and is too light and flat to penetrate the skull. It might sting, but physics shows it is not a lethal projectile from a tall building.
Drinking coffee or caffeinated beverages will stunt your growth
What we know now
Reviews of the evidence have not found a credible link between moderate caffeine intake and reduced adult height. Most final height is determined before teens commonly start drinking coffee regularly.
Moderate coffee intake does not dehydrate healthy adults who drink it regularly. Caffeine can briefly increase urine output, especially in large doses or after caffeine abstinence, but the water in coffee offsets that effect at typical intakes (roughly a few cups a day). A 2014 PLOS One crossover study found no difference in hydration markers between moderate coffee and water in men who already drank coffee daily. Earlier reviews reached the same broad conclusion for ordinary lifestyle caffeine use. Water is still the simplest hydration choice; coffee can still count toward daily fluid.
