5 things you need to know: 5 science lies taught at school

There are 5 senses

There are in fact 9-20 senses depending on your definition. As well as sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, humans also possess senses like properiception (spatial awareness), equilibrium, nociception (pain), evacuation (bog)…the list goes on.

Everyone is unique

Semantics. This gives too much licence. We are all of one species. Remove the superficial aspects of appearance and present us with certain situations and humans will behave pretty much identically. We are as different from one another as any troop of apes.

8 glasses of water

Water is indeed essential for life. However, it is possible to derive water from foodstuffs and juices, not necessarily from drinking copious amounts of council pop. While it’s healthier to be well-hydrated, don’t panic if you fail to meet your Robinson’s-endorsed quota.

Great Wall of China

Because of stupid primary school teachers, many people still believe the Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible from the moon. This is nonsense, and is barely visible even in low orbit.

Newton’s apple

Newton discovered gravity because an apple fell on his head as he mused beneath a tree. LIE. Newton never told this story himself; it was a humorous myth that came into existence some decades after his theorems on gravity were published.