• Australia's largest state hits record-high COVID-19 cases despite weeks of strict lockdown. 'It's a tinderbox ready to explode,' one official said.
• eToro says crypto made up 73% of trading commissions in the last quarter, as retail customers dived in
• A flight attendant says she was too exhausted to report a passenger who shoved her when a flight was overbooked: report
• US jobless claims climb for first time in 5 weeks, to 353,000

THESE SCIENCE MYTHS have been perpetuated for years. But it’s time to set the record straight.

Is the earth’s core molten liquid?

Does tequila really come with a hallucinogenic worm?

Can daddy longlegs spiders bite?

The answers to these questions will surprise you.

The earth’s core is molten liquid

Mats Halldin Mats Halldin

The Hollywood blockbuster The Core would have you believe that Earth’s center is molten liquid. In fact, Earth’s core is a dense sphere of nickel and iron with a diameter of about 700 miles.

Killer whales are whales

Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons

Will Wei, Business Insider & 'Gravity' Will Wei, Business Insider & 'Gravity'

Although most of us have only experienced gravity in the downward direction, gravity is not a downward force. Simply put, gravity sucks! And it sucks in all directions and dimensions.

House flies only live for 24 hours

Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons

Contrary to popular belief, house flies do not have a life span of 24 hours. So, if you think it’s better to wait for your uninvited house mate to die instead of chasing it down, think again. The common house fly can live for up to a month!

One dog year = seven human years

PA Wire / Press Association Images PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

One dog year is not equivalent to seven human years. Dogs age most quickly during the first two years and after that it greatly depends on the dog’s breed. For some dog breeds, one year is equivalent to a 14-year-old human.

Tequila should always have a worm in it

Piedra Azul Piedra Azul

Tequila and mezcal shouldn’t come with worm at the bottom. Only certain types of mezcals, another type of alcohol made from the agave plant, like tequila, contain the worm — and it’s actually an indication of low-quality alcohol or a marketing trick. The worm is a moth larva and its presence indicates infestation.

Black holes aren’t black

Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons

Black holes are not actually the colour black. They look black when we observe them because they emit no form of visible light. One of the only ways we know black holes exist is because of the gravitational pull they have on stars that otherwise appear to be orbiting empty space.

Head in the sand

Joe Giddens Joe Giddens

Ostriches do not stick their heads in the sand when threatened. Actually they don’t bury their heads at all. When threatened, ostriches flop on the ground and play dead.

Distance from the sun

Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons

Seasons on Earth are the result of Earth’s axial tilt and not Earth’s distance from the Sun. If you think about it, Australian winter happens during North America’s summer and there is no way that could happen if seasons depended on our distance from the sun.

Daddy longlegs can’t bite

Daddy longlegs spiders can, in fact, pierce human skin with their small mouths. But don’t worry, they also are not the most venomous spider in the world and the small amount of venom they carry will cause only a mild burning sensation for a few seconds and nothing more.

Read: Here is what coffee actually does to your brain>

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More