People often believe everything that they hear.  Some old wife's' tales are brought over from generation to generation. Our grandparents often told us things that we still remember today.  

I can clearly remember my grandmother used to close all the mirrors in the house with sheets when the lightning struck. 

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The curtains were drawn and we had to sit in the dark- away from the windows- because she was scared of the lightning.  She believed that the mirrors actually attracted the lightning. 

We were also not allowed to eat anything while lying down.  Apparently we would grow horns!

 

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Although this sounds very far fetched, how far is it actually from the truth? 

Young children often believe everything that their parents and grandparents tell them!  We actually believed everything we were told when we were small, but thanks to some research, reading, and thankfully the internet, we know that these were all just stories.  

I still think of these stories once in a while...especially when lightning struck or if I eat a chocolate in bed.  

Ever heard of these?

These are all just silly old stories that people made up.  Why anyone would even believe such nonsense I really don't know. 

Let us look at a few more believable stories and see how much truth is behind each tale.  

1.  Do not wake up a person that is sleepwalking!

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Why would you not? This is utter nonsense.  If they're  asleep and they don't have any clue of what they are doing, you need to wake them up!  This could prevent them from hurting themselves and possibly you too.  

He's as blind as a bat!

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Hmmm no...bats are in fact NOT blind at all.   Just as humans and other animals they cannot see in complete darkness.  They hunt during the night, and uses echolocation for finding their way in the dark.  They use their mouths to create sounds that bounce off objects.  

Lightning never strikes the same place twice

Lightning does not remember where it struck last.  Chances are that a high treetop or a building can get struck multiple times during the same lightning storm.  It is a fact that the Empire state building gets struck multiple times per year.  

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Do hair and fingernails keep on growing after death?

For hair and fingernails to grow actual live cells need to be present.  The hair and nails might appear to be longer but that is only because flesh shrinks.  Whoever thought of this?  What does it matter in any case?  Nobody should have even checked if this was in fact true in the first place!

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To pee or not to pee that is the question!

If you are stung by a jellyfish, chances are that you will be in some kind of discomfort.   Peeing on yourself or letting someone else pee on you is not a good thought.  Urine will in fact make it burn more.  You have a better chance of relieving the pain by rinsing with plain old vinegar.  

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach!

We all know that this is not true.  Perhaps if you go a little bit further SOUTH you might find the right way to a man's heart.  

It is definitely also not through his brain....

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