Myths and Misconceptions »
Abner Doubleday Did Not Invent Baseball
Myth: Baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday This myth has been widely spread since 1907 and even today is sometimes presented by such people as Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig. The fact of
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Split Infinitives are Not Incorrect Grammatically
Today I found out split infinitives are not incorrect grammatically. As mentioned in the recent Star Trek “to boldy go” article (check that out here), the majority of modern English grammar guides list split
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The Term “Scot Free” Does Not Come from the Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court Case
Myth: the term “scot free” has its origins from the Dred Scott v. Sandford U.S. Supreme Court Case. “Scot free”, also sometimes written “scotfree”, “scot-free” or, incorrectly, as “Scott free” actually pre-dates the Dred
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The Word “News” Does Not Derive from the Four Cardinal Directions (North, East, West, South)
Myth: the word “news” derives from the four cardinal directions. While this potential origin of the word news seems plausible enough, it isn’t true. The truth is, the word news can be traced back
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Both Cats and Dogs can See Color
Myth: Cats and dogs can only see in black and white The myth that cats and dogs are fully colorblind has been around for quite some time, despite the fact that it has been
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The Big Dipper is Not a Constellation
Myth: The “Big Dipper” is a constellation. In fact, the Big Dipper is an asterism. A constellation is an officially recognized group of stars as defined by the International Astronomical Union. Constellations are used
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Tootsie Roll Industries Never Gave Away a Prize if the Wrapper of a Tootsie Pop Had a Native American Boy Shooting a Star
Myth: Tootsie Roll Industries used to give away prizes if the wrapper of a tootsie roll pop had a Native American boy shooting a star. Children all over the world have whipped wrappers off
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“Billy the Kid’s” Real Name was Not William H. Bonney
Myth: Billy the Kid’s real name was William H. Bonney William H. Bonny is actually another alias of Billy the Kid, used during the height of his notoriety, but it is not generally considered
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Koalas Are Not a Type of Bear
Koala “bears” aren’t a type of bear at all, as it turns out, and their non-scientific name doesn’t include “bear” on the end, as is commonly spoken outside of Australia by the English speaking
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The “X” in “Xmas” Doesn’t Take the “Christ” Out of “Christmas”
Myth: “Xmas” is a non-religious name / spelling for “Christmas”. It turns out, “Xmas” is not a non-religious version of “Christmas”. The “X” is actually indicating the Greek letter “Chi”, which is short for
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