Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share Facts Everyone Believes To Be True But Are Actually Totally False

People Share Facts Everyone Believes To Be True But Are Actually Totally False
geralt/Pixabay

There are plenty of "facts" that everyone thinks are true just because of the sheer number of times they've heard them repeated. The illusory truth effect, also known as the reiteration effect, shows that repeated statements are easier to process than new ones and people tend to believe things that they hear repeated often.

This can lead to believing some pretty wild things that can be fairly obviously false if you stop to really think about it. Below are some excellent examples of this phenomenon.


Reddit user u/HaseebM1 asked:

"What is a fact that the general public typically believes is true, but is in fact completely false?"

10. 

That aquarium fish only live a few months.

My coworker was astonished that my fish had been alive for years and still had years left in them. When I told him it was because they had a big enough tank, a filter and water changes, he commented that that was way too much for a fish that won't live 3 months....big dumb circle of a conversation.

-petrovmendicant

Too add onto this comment it is not true that fish will grow to the size of the tank. For example if you put a goldfish in a 10 gallon tank, yes, it will be smaller but, its organs don't stop growing and they die a slow horrible death.

Research the fish you get to make sure you can provide a good life for them!

-mladyKarmaB*tch

9.

Cutting an earthworm in half won't make two worms. It'll just give one worm a very good reason to be angry.

-RedactedNPC

8.

That brushing your teeth twice a day is all you need to prevent cavities. Actually, it's just as important to always have saliva in your mouth.

-ddsmjc

My dentist blamed my cavities on me sleeping in front on a fan with my mouth open.

-Killerlampshade

7.

That houseplants use a dangerous amount of oxygen at night and therefor shouldn't be put in (children's) bedrooms. They use less than one tenth of what they produce during the day. If they'd use more our planet would be in deep trouble and humans wouldn't have existed.

-Vlinder_88

6.

Deoxygenated blood is blue

I had a Biology high school teacher try to teach us that

-okayyoga

5.

That most Europeans thought the world was flat in 1491.

-ArgentoCoxos

The Greek scholar Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of a spherical Earth around 200BC, to a surprisingly accurate degree. He's also credited with effectively inventing Geography.

-sck8000

4.

'If you put a nail in a tree, in the future it will be higher up as the tree grows.'

I have seen this on far too many tv shows, this is not how trees work. Trees accumulate height at the top annually while the rest of the tree grows in diameter.

-filbertfarmer

3.

People think when you hit a higher tax bracket your entire income is taxed at the higher rate.

-NoLifeKing_RL

If the bracket changes at 40k and you make 40,001. The only amount hat gets taxed at the new rate is that last dollar.

-LighterFluid11

2.

That different parts of your tongue are made for different tastes, I think the front is salty and the middle is sweet or something idk. I remember learning it in primary school, and Then when I grew older I asked my science teacher, she said it was false.

-SomeRandomRedditor13

What? I remember doing that thing where you put q-tips into different flavored water (Sugar, Salt, Lemon, Grapefruit juice, tabasco,...) and then make a "map" of where you taste something...

...and it worked.

Guess a strong believe in something can make it seem real.

-Wundawuzi

Every time I did that it never worked but every time I said "I can't tell the difference" I'd get ostracised by my peers.

-ymca_destroyer

1.

That you are "left-brained" or "right-brained". This was an old theory (Galaburda-Geschwind model) which tried to argue that this is why women are more emotional whilst men are more rational. It's a load of horsepoop.

-littlemissbpd

I'm always immediately wary with anyone who prides themselves on being "logical", or think that logic and emotions are somehow yin-yang type opposites, because nine times out of ten they equate "logical" with "infallible", and as a result they're the most insufferably smug know-it-all douchebags you'll ever meet.

-Omny87

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshots of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez giving Capitol tour
@AmberJoCooperX; @aoc/BlueSky

AOC Saves The Day By Giving Bronx Middle School Group A Tour Of The Capitol Amid Shutdown

New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had people cheering after she stepped in to act as tour guide after a group of middle schoolers from the Bronx pulled up to the Capitol hours after the U.S. government officially shut down.

The federal government shut down early Wednesday after the White House and Congress failed to reach an agreement on federal spending. While Senate Democrats are in the minority, they hold enough seats to filibuster and are insisting that Republicans agree to extend federal subsidies for people insured under the Affordable Care Act.

Keep ReadingShow less
house with orange walls and red roof behind decorative fence

.

Alexander Lunyov on Unsplash

Homeowners Reveal Hidden Gems They Only Discovered After Buying Their Homes

Whenever you buy a house, you hope and pray for the best.

You never want an unexpected shock once everything is finalized.

Keep ReadingShow less
John Gillette; Pramila Jayapal
@AzRepGillette/X; Win McNamee/Getty Images

GOP Lawmaker Sparks Outrage After Calling For Dem Rep. To Be Executed For Urging People To Protest Trump

On Wednesday, September 25, an Arizona MAGA Republican state Representative publicly called for the execution of Washington Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal because she urged anyone displeased with MAGA Republican President Donald Trump's job performance to exercise their First Amendment right to free speech and to protest.

Apparently, urging citizens to make their voices heard was a step too far for Arizona state GOP Representative John Gillette, who responded to a clip edited out of a longer video by right-wing account The Patriot Oasis (TPO). A quick scan through Gillette's X account media posts will reveal his political leanings.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from ​@nicolekatelynn1's TikTok video
@nicolekatelynn1/TikTok

Liberal TikToker Mortified After Discovering That Her Therapist Is Hardcore MAGA

There used to be a time where politics did not have to come into every room or be a part of every conversation. But in a world with President Trump and MAGA, it's not as simple as being Red, Blue, or Green anymore.

Now, the sociopolitical climate is dangerous for many people and still very stress-inducing for others. It's important to surround ourselves with people who make us feel safe and seen—and unfortunately, that might mean cutting out people who have "different beliefs" than we do.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @valerieelizabet's TikTok video
@valerieelizabet/TikTok

Teacher Reveals The Hilariously Familiar Way Kids Are Getting Around School Phone Bans

No matter what's being banned, or the reasons why it's being banned, kids will always find a way to access what they want.

What's funny is that teens in 2025 are now creating hacks to communicate with each other that will feel very nostalgic to Millennials.

Keep ReadingShow less