A Few More Science Myths
In a recent article, we explored general science myths -- that is, myths concerning the study of science itself.
This time, we'll take a look at a few specific myths that are commonly accepted as truth. If you've ever found yourself befuddled by science myths, don't feel too bad. It's a complicated world, and oftentimes the myths we accept as reality are passed on to us by authority figures and school textbooks. Take, for example, the myth that glass is really a very slow-flowing liquid, or polar bear fur is fiber-optic. Nope.
As 19th century humorist Josh Billings once said, "It's not what we know that's the problem, it's what we know that ain't so."* Or, in the immortal words of Yoda to Luke Skywalker, "You must unlearn what you have learned." In this article, we'll try to help you do just that.
Myth 1: All chemicals are dangerous
Considering the hazardous range of chemicals from lye to dioxin to Agent Orange, it's easy to believe this science myth. But if you do, you're frightening yourself unnecessarily. Let's look, for instance, at the fable of the scary-sounding chemical dihydrogen monoxide (DHMO), otherwise known as hydroxyl acid.
According to a meme spreading via e-mail (and we assure you, every statement in it is absolutely true), DHMO is an odorless, colorless liquid that can be found in every lake, stream, and swimming pool in the world. It's a major contributor to global warming, causes corrosion in metals, and is found in cancerous tumors.
DMHO is also very commonly used in cleaning, and shockingly, you ingest a surprising amount of it every day. It's no science myth to say that it also kills thousands of people a year -- although it keeps billions alive every day. That's because dihydrogen monoxide is, chemically, H20...water.
Yes, like just about everything in the environment, water is a chemical. It's everywhere, and it can kill people in its various forms. So in some circumstances it can be dangerous, but usually it's utterly harmless -- and life couldn't exist without it.
Myth 2: Water drains counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere
Here's another science myth that simply isn't true, though it seems like it should be. The idea is that since the Coriolis Effect acts in an opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere, and toilet water drains clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, the opposite should be true in the Southern.
The truth is that while the Coriolis Effect is real on a macroscopic scale (as with hurricanes), it's very weak on small scales, as in a sink or toilet bowl. Initial conditions, especially the direction the water enters the basin, are more significant than Mr. Coriolis' effect and can easily overcome it in most cases.
Myth 3: Electricity is always caused by electron flow
While it would seem logical that this science myth would be true, since after all it's called "electricity," this isn't necessarily the case. Yes, in metals electricity is the flow of electrons (which is mostly how we use the effect, actually), but electricity in general is really just the flow of energy from one point to another.
Electrical currents can occur in electrolytes (such as the interior of a battery, or in your brain cells) as the movement of electrified atoms. Electricity can also flow through plasma -- i.e., hot, glowing gas, sometimes called the fourth state of matter. This is how a neon sign works.
Sometimes, then, you can get electricity without the flow of electrons at all. But if you believed this one, hey, don't feel too bad about it. Your Humble Writer fell for this one of many science myths too, until he set out to do the research for this article.
*The usual attribution of this quote to Mark Twain or Will Rogers is itself a myth.
