Now you do.
As a kid who didn’t get to enjoy much time under the sun to play with other kids, I spent most of my childhood free time reading books with my mom. She’s a Science and History teacher. I don’t know how and why, but she has a vast erudition. She introduced me to old friends Euclid, Lenin, and Nietzsche – even naming one of my first pets, Mao. Little did I know, I’d eventually have a best friend named Maolen and another friend named Marxie Maolen. The universe makes things interesting, sometimes.
But this article is about none of the things mentioned above – except that phase, like everybody else, is when we learn new things and start finding out whether they’re a fact or a myth. So today, I’m listing down 5 of the things I learned from my mom when I was younger. In a nation that still embraces superstitious beliefs, putting Science behind them can help one learn and unlearn things.
Toughest inside
Do you remember doing the litmus test back in high school? Yes, that test wherein you use a tiny paper that turns red when a substance is acidic and blue when it’s alkaline or base. Our stomach is filled with acids playing around the pH level of 2 or 3. pH levels range from 0-14. The lower the pH level, the more acidic a substance is.
This means that the acid in our stomach is so strong – it can dissolve stainless steel. So a double-edged razor blade would just melt in your stomach, whichever way it got there. And yes, don’t worry about that seed you swallowed when you were younger; Science says you won’t grow a tree inside you.
Binary Struggles
We often hear people use the term PMS or premenstrual syndrome when someone acts irritable. Usually, we refer to our female friends from the gender spectrum. The thing is, this occurrence isn’t exclusive for them. Male counterparts experience this too. It’s called IMS or irritable male syndrome. Just like PMS, IMS, too, shows signs ranging from hypersensitivity to vexation.
Earth is round: NOT
Hold up, what? Have flat-earthers been right, after all? No. But Earth is not round either. The shape of the Earth is called oblate spheroid, a three-dimensional quadric surface. With the Earth’s dimensions, it cannot be called round(two-dimensional). So, next time someone asks you about the Earth’s shape, you are no longer allowed to say ’round’ after reading this.
Ice Bear in We Bare Bear isn’t white
Polar Bears aren’t white. Their fur is transparent or see-through, and their skin is black. The only reason why they look as white as snow is because of luminescence. While the color of our hair relies heavily on pigmentation, polar bears don’t need them. Instead, because of their structure, the light bounces around and traps light, making them look like they’re glowing.
Already Dreamt
Ever been in that situation when what’s happening in the present feels like it already happened? Yeah, that’s called Déjà vu. But what about those instances when your current situation or what you’re feeling is something you have already dreamed of? It’s called Déjà rêvé. There’s also a term for when you’re on the brink of epiphany or simply if there’s a term or word on the tip of your tongue but couldn’t say it – Presque vu.
These are just some of the things you have already encountered but also may have learned incorrectly. Just like some of the myths we know, Science isn’t absolute and unchanging. It evolves along with the changes of the season.
So, be sure to check if what you’ve always known is still factual. If a shrimp can change from male to female, other things can too.
