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I must have gone to really good schools because I wasn't taught those things, with the possible exceptions of chameleon camouflage and Van Gogh's ear, both in elementary school. I believe my art teacher told me that he cut it off to impress a woman. Even way back in second grade we learned that Columbus was looking for a route to India. I also disagree with the idea that Lincoln was not opposed to slavery. I have studied hundreds of pages of Lincoln's writings, and he is very consistent in his opposition to slavery for moral, economic, and humanitarian reasons. The passage presented as evidence to the contrary must have been taken out of context when he was president and attempting to make a political point justifying the war.
I tell my college students that most of what they learn about chemistry will ultimately be shown to be a simplification as they study increasingly complex models. Or, as one of my former students put it, "Physical chemistry is where you found out all the ways your general chemistry professor lied to you." I guess I feel that a "lie" is something different than a recognition of limited understanding in order to make a more fundamental point.
10. There is no Gravity in Space
09. Diamonds are formed from compressed coal.
08. Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb.
07. Van Gogh sliced off his ear while suffering a mental illness.
06. Chamelons hide by changing their color to camoflauge with their surroundings.
05. Columbus proved the world was round rather than flat.
04. Sweet, salt, bitter and sour are detected in different parts of the tongue.
03. Abraham Lincoln was strongly opposed to slavery.
02. Newton discovered gravity after an apple struck him on the head.
01. Humans are descended from chimpanzees.
First off, a lie is an intentional deceit. I'm fairly certain that most people who believe - and teach - such things believe them them to be true. So, in passing on those assertions they are certainly wrong but most certainly not lying.
Now, on to a few of the claims:
Van Gogh's Ear
The video claims that it was artist Paul Gaugin who sliced it off with a sword. And that has certainly been claimed - but the prevailing consensus is that Van Gogh sliced off his ear with a razor. The Gaugin claim is a hypothesis that could be so, but the bulk of the evidence still points to self-mutilation, which is why that's what the majority of historians accept.
Chameleon
The video claims that chameleons change color as a means of communicating, not as a means of camouflage. In fact, the color-change is utilized for both purposes.
Abraham Lincoln
The video claims that Abraham Lincoln did not strongly oppose slavery. There is no other way to characterize this claim than demonstrably false nonsense. In the quote (taken from a letter to Horace Greely in 1862) Lincoln never states that he is not strongly opposed to slavery. Indeed, he does not discuss his views on slavery at all, except to make clear that his purpose in prosecuting the Civil War is not to end slavery but to preserve the Union. In other words, he considered the Union more important than the abolishment of slavery.
The creator of the video is either ignorant of the thousands of Lincoln's direct pronouncements on the evils of slavery, demonstrating clearly his adamant opposition to the institution, or nonsensically believes this one tangential reference to slavery supersedes them all.
I certainly remember being taught about different taste buds and where they are located on the tongue so I'm happy to learn something new
I knew the apple on the head was a wonderful but childish story to get the concept across.
Son is a physics professor so all the gravity info has been discussed at our supper table for years.
Not all of these are taught in school, though some are. The most egregious is that men descend from chimpanzees, but I was never taught that. It is a misunderstanding of evolutionary theory and seems to be perpetuated by those who think evolution is untrue.
10. There is no Gravity in Space
09. Diamonds are formed from compressed coal.
08. Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb.
07. Van Gogh sliced off his ear while suffering a mental illness.
06. Chamelons hide by changing their color to camoflauge with their surroundings.
05. Columbus proved the world was round rather than flat.
04. Sweet, salt, bitter and sour are detected in different parts of the tongue.
03. Abraham Lincoln was strongly opposed to slavery.
02. Newton discovered gravity after an apple struck him on the head.
01. Humans are descended from chimpanzees.
I was taught 9, 8, 6, and 4 in school. While 10 is the one that's the most laughable to me, 8 is the one that irks me the most!
How about the lie that we'll use long division in everyday life?
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