Online, in the papers, or on TV -just how much rubbish do we hear everyday? And in certain cases, we are so addled that we can no longer tell true from false! However, we need to do a little study, to realise that certain beliefs, no matter how deeply ingrained they are in society, are quite simply unfounded. Here are 11 common urban legends debunked.
1/ One year is equal to 7 years for a dog
In fact it’s not as simple as that, as not all species of dog have the same life expectancy, which can range from 6 to 13 years old. Therefore, we can’t really generalise…
2/ The colour of Santa’s clothes was invented by Coca Cola
Even if the famous brand has greatly contributed to Santa’s image, dressed head to toe in red, we can find photos of an old man dressed in red dating back to before Coca Cola was put on the market.
3/ Taurine is extracted from bulls’ testicles
The taurine you can find in Red Bull has nothing do do with a bull’s genitals: it is a derivative of amino acids, that were originally discovered in a bull’s bile.
4/ You swallow spiders in your sleep
Happily for arachnophobes, spiders keep well out of the way of your mouth during the night, or at the very least, you would wake up before they got that close.
5/ Bulls are attracted by the colour red
It is not because bulls are attracted to the colour red that they go for a matador who is waving his cape. In fact it is the movement that attracts them and puts them into a state of agitation.
6/ Diet Coke contains as much sugar as normal Coca Cola
It is not that it is more sugary, but it is more “toxic”: the sugar is replaced by acesulfame K.
