What if I told you that Mount Everest is not, in fact, the tallest mountain in the world? Bagpipes aren’t Scottish or are there not 7 colors in the rainbow?

May I have your attention? Well, prepare to be surprised, because I am about to show you how many things you know are just… completely WRONG.

Have you ever caught yourself in an embarrassing situation, feeling that the discussed subject is something you should know about but don’t? We all have experienced that, at least once in our lifetime.

Right now, by reading this article, you are going to experience that feeling again, since what I am about to tell you will shake you up! Are you ready for this?

Here are 12 facts we all know … that are completely WRONG:

1. Bagpipes are Scottish

Are you having a hard time accepting that they aren’t Scottish? Ha, ha. It’s just the beginning. Make yourself comfortable, and be ready to find out more interesting facts.

Bagpipes are a musical instrument that has its origins in ancient Egypt. In 400 BCE, the first mention of the instrument was when it was used by the pipers of Thebes. Later, the instrument became popular in ancient Rome, and this is how it found its way to Europe.

Even though the early bagpipes were very close to what we know they are today, the Scottish perfected the instrument. That is the reason why it is believed to be not only Scotland’s national instrument but also a Scottish creation.

2. Dogs have a sweaty tongue

That is 100% false. Dogs sweat through their paws. If you are a dog owner or have seen a dog at least once in your lifetime, you have probably observed how dogs react when they’re tired. When a dog gets hot, he opens his jaw and breathes heavily. While dogs use panting to stay cool, they also sweat, that’s right, but not through their tongue.

Merocrine glands are the sweat glands found in their paws that help them cool down.

3. Turkey was the bird chosen by Ben Franklin to represent America

A myth keeps going around, saying that Benjamin Franklin wanted a turkey to be the symbol of the United States, which is totally false.

In fact, all that Benjamin Franklin did was comment on the design of the eagle, which became popular and known as the official representation of the United States. He claimed that the bird was looking more like a turkey and not like a fearless eagle.

4. Toilet seats are dirty and full of germs

A recent study has found that toilet seats are cleaner than we can all imagine. The University of Arizona explained how there are 10 times more germs on our phone surfaces compared to toilet seats that are being constantly cleaned.

Basically, your cellphone screen is dirtier than your toilet seat. How discussing! Just go and grab a wet wipe and disinfect it immediately!

5. Even from a mile away, sharks can detect fresh blood

The information is completely wrong. Are these good or bad news? I’ll let you decide. 

Sharks have a great sense of smell, and they can detect blood from far away. But a mile is just too much! They can detect as little as a drop at a concentration of 1 part per 10 billion. Even though we cannot talk about a mile, you better avoid going in the water with a paper cut.

6. Everest is not the highest mountain in the world

It sounds really crazy, right? Well, the mountain is not the highest anymore, since Mauna Kea was discovered in Hawaii. To put their height difference into perspective, imagine seeing Mauna Kea out of the water. Everest’s summit is considered 29,035 feet above sea level, while Mauna Kea’s total height is 35,000 feet. So, the volcano on Hawaii’s coast is almost 1 mile higher than Mount Everest.

7. Rice is the best solution when your phone gets wet

It’s a piece of false information, even though most people are thinking that by following this “trick” they can save their phones. Unfortunately, when this happens, you need to purchase another phone. However, before doing that, consider placing your phone in a container along with a few silica gel. Leave it like that for 48 hours. This trick is much more efficient than the rice one. The rice will likely just make your phone really dusty, which will not help at all in the recovery process.

8. Gravity doesn’t exist in space

False! Gravity exists everywhere. Because without it, everything would fall apart!

The space station and the crew are constantly falling toward Earth, which is why astronauts appear weightless. But even if they are falling, they cannot reach the Earth. The space station is flying at approximately 17,150 miles per hour, keeping both it and the occupants in orbit.

On Amazon, you can find a very interesting book about space and gravity. It’s called: The Man Who Mastered Gravity: A Twisted Tale of Space, Time and Mysteries in Between. and is an intimate profile of Thomas Townsend Brown. It was written by Paul Schatzkin and it has been a bestseller since its release. If you are not sure about purchasing it, you can read its amazing reviews.

9. There are 7 colors in the rainbow

Well, that’s wrong! Actually, it’s more like a million!

The visible spectrum is represented by the colors that we can actually see. As you already know, these are red, yellow, orange, green, indigo, blue, and violet. But there are even more colors that cannot be seen with the naked eye, such as pinks, browns, aquas, etc.

And that is not all! Did you know that rainbows are actual circles and not arcs? We cannot see the entire circle because of our earthly point of view, but that doesn’t mean that the rainbow is shaped as an arc.

10. Chimps have more hair compared to humans

What if I told you that, even if it’s not noticeable, humans have between three and five hair follicles, just like chimpanzees? Isn’t that interesting?

Terminal hair and vellus hair are the two types of hair humans have. Terminal hair can be found on our heads, armpits, and pubic areas, whereas vellus hair can be found everywhere. I guess, we can call ourselves lucky that it’s not visible!

11. The Spanish flu comes from Spain

The Spanish flu, also known as the Spanish Influenza, doesn’t come from Spain. Actually, nobody knows where this flu really comes from, so we shouldn’t blame Spanish people! They didn’t do anything wrong!

The flu is considered Spanish because Spain was one of the first countries to report it back in time. Because the country didn’t take part in the First World War, the press was searching for something wrong about its citizens.

12. In their humps, camels store water

This information is wrong! Camels store fat, not water, in other humps.

The accumulated fat is an energy reserve, while water can be found in their bloodstream, making them easily avoid dehydration. Did you know that camels can go 7 days without drinking water? But they go up to 225 liters at a time when they do!

Before leaving, make sure to check out this interesting and mind-blowing article, also found on Mind Bending Facts: Aliens: If They Come, Could We Talk To Them?