Mything the Point

This blog is a Digital Media Project for NUIG's CS&IT Professional Skills class. It's purpose is to educate about myths, hoaxes and urban legends - on the web and in real life. Posts are made by Ross Clifford, Adam Long and Christopher Ward. Feedback: Tweet us @Ross__Clifford with any feedback, questions and advice. #ct231

[mythingthepoint]

Psychics and horoscopes?

Of course there have been many debates on the accuracy of psychics and their horoscopes and well dealing with any supernatural like phenomenon they can be very hard to disprove, sometimes even impossible. 

However I think it is possible to prove that many people are very easily swayed into believing horoscopes of people claiming to be psychic.

In April 1968, Michel Gauquelin, a french psychologist, posed as a psychic and entered the following ad in the magazine Ici-Paris:

The ad offered a free horoscope to anyone who submitted just a date and place of birth. The ad received over 500 replies, so Gauquelin sent them all horoscopes and asked how close the horoscope fitted to them. Of the first 150 replies, 94% said that the horoscope at least related to them.

This is fine, perhaps Gauquelin had had psychic powers all along and subconsciously gave correct horoscopes to people. Here's catch #1: every person received the exact same horoscope. And catch #2 for hilarity's sake: the horoscope was a computer generated horoscope of serial killer Dr. Petiot.

Sources: 

Image 1 : Gunnshots (Don)

Image 2: http://www.astrology-and-science.com/D-effe02.gif

Feedback:

Send feedback and questions on twitter to @chewie__al

[mythingthepoint]

Cracking knuckles causes arthritis? Nope.

Although many find this sound and act repulsive, the habit of many people across has never been shown to have any adverse effects. 

Dr. Donald Unger even spent most of his life trying to prove the opposite. He spent over 60 years cracking the knuckles on only his left hand and not on his right hand. In 2009  he was awarded the lg Nobel Prize in Medicine(which is a parody of the Nobel prize).

Sources: 

Image: Jaysin Trevino

Audio : pwausc1

Feedback:

Send feedback and questions on twitter to @chewie__al

[mythingthepoint]

BLIND AS A BAT? WELL NO

We all Know that bats are blind, right? Well you're actually wrong, While bats use echolocation to determine nearby objects, they can see using their eyes. They have very poor eyesight but they're not blind. 

- Christopher

Sources:

Image courtesy of Charlotte Roemer

Feedback:

Send feedback and questions on twitter to @C_Ward670

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[mythingthepoint]

Does sugar make children hyper?

No.

This is an extremely common myth but it isn't true.

The effect is believed to be psychological - the environments that children consume sugar are usually filled with excitement (birthdays for example). This causes an association with sugar and hyperactivity.

Children are also aware of the "sugar high" and may feel inclined to act hyper (through placebo) or use it as an excuse to act wild.

Several scientific studies have been performed on the effects of sugar on children. Although links to obesity, tooth decay and diabetes have been found again and again the myth of hyperactivity remained elusive.

- Ross

Sources:

Image courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt

Feedback:

Send feedback and questions on twitter to @Ross_Clifford

[mythingthepoint]

Catch a flu when you're cold.... nope, no you wont!

Everyone has been told at one stage that if you leave without a coat or if you don't dry your hair before bed that you will catch a cold - but this isn't true. The fact is, cold and flues are viruses and the temperature doesn't change that. They spread quicker during cold months because more people stay inside in close proximity to others. So a coat or dry hair won't do much to prevent you getting sick.

Before you run to get antibiotic for your flu, don't! Its a virus and antibiotics will do nothing for it! Some people also avoid vaccines because it apparently gives you the flu, but no. It has an inactive virus which doesn't infect you.

So don't be afraid if you forget your coat or get a vaccine. It won't cause you to get ill.

- Christopher

[mythingthepoint]

Can you really trust a screenshot of a tweet?

Screenshots of tweets are all over the internet - used to quickly communicate a post, they're more likely to be looked at by the average internet user than an actual link to the tweet. They also have the benefit of being spread infinitely and reproduced, unlike a controversial tweet which might be deleted or hidden.

But they can easily be doctored - by software such as photoshop or even handier "fake tweet" websites. These kind of websites make your fake tweet look like the real deal - the correct text placement, fonts etc. 

Remember - if its not on the users twitter page, and it sounds too good too be true.. it usually is.

-Ross