Bananas do not grow on trees. Michigan State University Extension notes they are fruit of the world’s largest herb: the upright “trunk” is a pseudostem made of packed leaf bases, not woody tissue. The fruit is botanically classified as a berry (seeds develop inside the flesh). Commercial Cavendish bananas are typically propagated by cuttings and are parthenocarpic, producing fruit without pollination.
Shaving does not make hair grow back thicker, darker, or faster. A razor only cuts the hair shaft at the surface and leaves a blunt tip, which can feel stubbly or look darker until the hair tapers again; it does not change the follicle. A 1970 Journal of Investigative Dermatology study comparing repeatedly shaved legs with unshaved controls found no significant differences in hair width, coarseness, or growth rate—consistent with what dermatologists still report.
The Tea Act raised taxes on American colonists, which is why the Boston Tea Party happened
What we know now
The Tea Act of May 10, 1773 did not raise colonial tea taxes. It let the East India Company ship tea directly to North America and cut British duties, lowering the price of legal tea while the existing three-pence Townshend duty stayed in force. On December 16, 1773, protesters dumped 342 chests from the Dartmouth, Eleanor, and Beaver into Boston Harbor. Colonists opposed accepting cheaper taxed monopoly tea without representation in Parliament, and the Act also threatened colonial merchants—including smugglers of Dutch tea such as John Hancock—who stood to lose business. The slogan was not a pretext historians have discarded; cheaper tea made the constitutional fight harder to ignore.
AI-generated content is easily distinguishable from human-created content
What we know now
By the early 2020s, AI-generated text, images, and even videos became nearly indistinguishable from human-created content, challenging detection methods.
COVID-19 vaccines cause cancer or more aggressive cancer
What we know now
This myth is false. Researchers have found no evidence linking COVID-19 vaccines to an increase in cancer rates or more aggressive forms of cancer. This misconception often arises from individual experiences or misinterpretations of data.
COVID-19 vaccines cause blood clots or increase stroke risk
What we know now
While rare side effects like specific blood clot disorders were linked to certain COVID-19 vaccines (e.g., Johnson & Johnson, which is no longer available in the U.S.), the vast majority of COVID-19 vaccines do not cause blood clots or increase stroke risk. The benefits of vaccination far outweigh these rare risks, and the risk of blood clots and heart problems is higher with COVID-19 infection itself.
This is a false claim. mRNA vaccines (like Pfizer and Moderna) deliver instructions to your cells to make a protein from the virus, triggering an immune response. The mRNA does not enter the nucleus of the cell where your DNA is stored and therefore cannot alter your DNA. The instructions are broken down and removed by the body.
This myth is false. The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads from person to person regardless of temperature. People in all climates, both hot and cold, have contracted COVID-19.
Dietary supplements or alcohol can prevent or treat COVID-19
What we know now
There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that dietary supplements, specific foods (like hot peppers or garlic), or alcoholic beverages can prevent or treat COVID-19. Relying on such methods can be dangerous and delay appropriate medical care.
