Yes, this’ll be another wrestling match between belief and science. It’s God vs. Newton, Jesus vs. Einstein and it’s gonna be one hell of a fight! For as long as we’ve had this thing called “science”, it’s been repeatedly showing us that we don’t understand half as much as we think. Sadly, that still seems to be the case despite having accepted the empirical method for many generations now.
Let’s take a look at some things we all believe to are true, only to then have science prove us wrong. Because that’s what science does best.
Exercise Is Better Than Alcohol
Let’s start with a good one – a round at the bar or a round at the track? Usually people will tell you that exercise is better for you, but research with seniors has shown that the ones that occasionally drank wine or beer lived longer.
Taking Notes Helps Your Brain
Only that it doesn’t: the brain refuses to store information when it knows we have it stored somewhere else. So unless you can be sure that you’ll always have access to your notes, you’re probably better off just remembering stuff.
Soda And Junk Food Cause Obesity
People that have occasional soda and junk food will be less likely to become obese than people that live healthy on paper, but consume way too much calories for their lifestyle. I mean, soda and junk food has more calories, sure, but not eating them won’t magically make you skinny.
Showering Is Good For You
Showering too much makes us more susceptible to bacteria and disease. In extreme cases, showering too much can even cause heart problems or digestive problems. Sadly, the research was unable to show how much showering is the scientific sweet spot.
Exercise Is Good For Your Health
Not only is alcohol in moderation healthier for you than regular exercise, excessive exercise is actually very detrimental to your health. Exercise can make your body secrete cortisol, which reduces bone density and can cause osteoporosis or arthritis.
Drugs Cause Addiction
Test groups with rats show that socially isolated rats used more drugs when they had access to them. While it’s a bit wonky to make grand assumptions based on this, it’s fair to assume that your social environment and emotional state of mind are probably at least as important when it comes to determining addiction as the drugs themselves. The more you know.
Laughter Is Good For You
Well, laughter does have its specific health benefits, but laughter can cause things like abdominal hernia, jaw dislocation, headache, asthma and fainting. And it can cause a hole in the esophagus.
