What's the most believed lie in the world?

[WolfKC]

What's the biggest most widely belived astronomy misconception?
What's the most believed falsehood that directly affects peoples lives? (actually hurts them in some way)
Who's the biggest lie spreader of all history?
Let's make sure to stay away from religion on these.

[Humphrey]

What's the biggest most widely belived astronomy misconception?

In my opinion? That the ties on the opposite side of the moon are because of the pull of the sun.

What's the most believed falsehood that directly affects peoples lives? (actually hurts them in some way)

Very hard one. In my opinion it is the belief that technological prowess=greater culture. Meaning that the place that is the most technologically advanced is also the most cumturally advanced. I cannot state this more emphatically, this is not true!

This could hurt people because it could lead to bigotry, a feeling of superiority where there is none.

"Hey i my country has guns, you don't. Our country is more superior to yours, i want your people to be like mine, lets wrassel!" (Not a political thing, just an example)

Who's the biggest lie spreader of all history?

Definitely not nancey. She has not reached that many people.

Now are we talking about shear number of people who have heared the lie, or who believe in the lie?

For shear number of people who have heared the lie, i would venture a good guess at the fox moon hoax show producers. They have reached alot of people. Most probobly don't believe it, but it was seen.

Or the John Edwards Psychics. Hahaha, if they can talk to the dead, Houdini really did have magic. (ten points to anyone who can relate those two sentances)

For number of people beleiving in their b.s.? I'd also have to go for the moon hoax guys. They have alot more believers in conspiracy and hoaxes than nancy does.

Or possibly the Area 51 alien b elievers, there are alot of them, but none have a consistent story, so it is hard to track down a solid lie.

[John Jones]

What's the biggest most widely belived astronomy misconception?

I'm not sure if this counts, but the widely-held belief that everyone thought the earth was flat until <some nonsense about Columbus>.

Was it Eristothanes(sp)? who calculated the circumference of the earth based on actual measurements about 300 BC?

Feel free to correct my many errors, but I think I got the basic facts approximately correct.

What's the biggest most widely belived astronomy misconception?
What's the most believed falsehood that directly affects peoples lives? (actually hurts them in some way)
Who's the biggest lie spreader of all history?
Let's make sure to stay away from religion on these.

Possible candidates for item 1:
- the moon does not rotate on its axis
- the sky is blue because it reflects the water on earth
- phases of the moon are caused by the shadow of the earth

Item 2:
- wearing a seatbelt is dangerous because you might get caught in case of a fire or water plunge

Item 3:
- an unending list of political "leaders"

[Dragonlor]

- the sky is blue because it reflects the water on earth

I love people who think that. In their logic, water is blue. It's funny. Any goober should know that water is clear unless it's polluted.

- the sky is blue because it reflects the water on earth

I love people who think that. In their logic, water is blue. It's funny. Any goober should know that water is clear unless it's polluted.

A significant number (about 25%) of my students in a university astronomy course (taken by students to satisfy a general science elective) believe one of these three as shown by my start of semester survey.

[Humphrey]

- the sky is blue because it reflects the water on earth

I love people who think that. In their logic, water is blue. It's funny. Any goober should know that water is clear unless it's polluted.

A significant number (about 25%) of my students in a university astronomy course (taken by students to satisfy a general science elective) believe one of these three as shown by my start of semester survey.

I believe you. I have taken a few astronomy classes at UF (actualy i'm still here). In one class we had similar situations. The instructor i think was Dr. Leacock (very funny and sarcastic guy if it is the guy i am remebering right) for Life in the Universe last spring. (I am horrible at names. I'll check my notebook later today to make sure)

Some of the people in class were amazing at some of the most basic stuff they did not know.

The profeessor had to repeat the correct order of the planets several times. For college stufents in the best college in the state, i ma surprised they didn't learn this simple fact in high school. We were required to in public school in Jacksonville, FL so i assume they did.

I can't remeber the others. I will have to skim my notes to see if any remind me of anything.

[mr. show]

i'd say the most widely believed misconception is that space is a vacuum

[nanojath]

Of course, the problem with this is that anything that might be an accurate answer is going to be very, very controversial.

For instance, I would say

What's the most believed falsehood that directly affects peoples lives? (actually hurts them in some way)

In my mind, unquestionably, that war is a necessary part of human society. But of course a huge argument could be had on the subject. The tricky trick of war is that it propagates itself. Was WWII a "just" war? Maybe, but does that mean it was necessary? Unpreventable?

[ignorant_ape]

most widley held misconceptions in astronomy :

1 - "the dark side of the moon " as i tell anyone foolish enough to listen - its the fooking far side , only pink floyd are immune from my scorn on this issue :-)

2 - space is a vaccum / space is black

[ appologies to the guy who said ` space is a vaccum ` first ]

3 - vectors / momentum / inertia , thanks to sci fi films - the public now believe that a space craft manouvers just like a craft in earths atmosphere


the biggest lies [ snarls because religion baiting was barred by the topic starter ]

1 the cheque is in the post

2 i will not *** in your mouth

but being serious

3 - ` the protocols of the elders of zion `

4 - holocaust denial

i appologise for the OT nature of the last two but they gnaw at my mind every time i hear them mentioned as " facts"

please dont relply to these two on board - ` BA` will not be amused - but if you want to take it to a more sutible forum so be it


YRS - APE

[ZappBrannigan]

What's the biggest most widely belived astronomy misconception?

Earth is the center of the universe. Wrong. Hollywood is the center of the universe.

What's the most believed falsehood that directly affects peoples lives? (actually hurts them in some way)

We only use 10% of our brains. Wrong, which is very bad news for most people.

Who's the biggest lie spreader of all history?

Hey, gotta go with Hitler for that one. Nobody else even comes close. (Darn. Can't think of a humorous, non-cring-inducing Hitler joke.)

[Jigsaw]

What's the biggest most widely belived astronomy misconception?

A surprisingly large number of people don't realize that you can see the moon during the daytime. They think it's only out at "night", and when they see it during the day, they're amazed.

A lot of people believe that you could see the American flag on the moon through a telescope, if you had a telescope.

A stunningly huge number of people don't realize just how many observatories there are out there, that there's probably a actual observatory in their own home town. They think observatories are huge, fancy, expensive undertakings that require government funding, and that they exist only in far-away places, like Mauna Loa or Mt. Wilson. But the truth is that virtually every college and university, no matter how small, has an observatory of some kind, and with a serious telescope, too. And that's not to mention all the total Astronomy Geeks and local astronomy clubs, with actual observatories and serious telescopes of their own, out there watching the skies...

[Superluminal]

People who don't realize the moon and planets change positions from night to night. During the recent Mars approach I would hear people saying, "Mars is easy to find, its just under the moon." But that was two week old information.

[Archer17]

Astronomy: The mistaken belief one can see stars from down in a well or up a steep chimney in daylight, but .. a lot of people don't know you can see Venus in the daytime if conditions are right.

[Humphrey]

Astronomy: The mistaken belief one can see stars from down in a well or up a steep chimney in daylight, but .. a lot of people don't know you can see Venus in the daytime if conditions are right.

Ah! but you can see a full moon anytime. :-P

[Archer17]

Astronomy: The mistaken belief one can see stars from down in a well or up a steep chimney in daylight, but .. a lot of people don't know you can see Venus in the daytime if conditions are right.

Ah! but you can see a full moon anytime. :-P

Yes you can. Mr soon-to-be-hitched Humphrey. Had to say that

[Humphrey]

Yes you can. Mr soon-to-be-hitched Humphrey. Had to say that

Hitched? Bah! Chained with adamantium metal clasps and vacume welded steel plates oer the keyholes.

[Archer17]

Yes you can. Mr soon-to-be-hitched Humphrey. Had to say that

Hitched? Bah! Chained with adamantium metal clasps and vacume welded steel plates oer the keyholes.

...gotta love this board! .. :P

[Reacher]

I thought that the cycles of the moon were caused by the Earth's shadow! What? What causes it, if not the shadow of Earth?

[Gmann]

What's the biggest most widely belived astronomy misconception

Phil Plait is a 'good Astronomer'...not true...he is a 'Bad Astronomer' 8)

What's the most believed falsehood that directly affects peoples lives

Ignorant Ape stole my thunder (the check is in the mail) #-o

Who's the biggest lie spreader of all history

The guy who came up with the 'check is in the mail' thing. [-X

[swansont]

i'd say the most widely believed misconception is that space is a vacuum

By what semantics is space not a vacuum?

[Dickenmeyer]

I thought that the cycles of the moon were caused by the Earth's shadow! What? What causes it, if not the shadow of Earth?

A lunar eclipse is caused by the shadow of the Earth. The lunar phases are caused by the shadow of the Moon itself.
Big Misconception? That there is no "Dark Side" of the Moon.
The far side of the moon is NOT the dark side(except when the Moon is full) as many people seem to think, but half the moon is in darkness all the time, just like Earth. It's called "night".

[Klausnh]

What's the biggest most widely belived astronomy misconception?

I just heard this again on the History channel and it's on a China travel guide site:
That the Great Wall of China can be seen from the moon.

[parejkoj]

i'd say the most widely believed misconception is that space is a vacuum

By what semantics is space not a vacuum?

From www.dictionary.com:

vac·u·um, n. pl. vac·u·ums or vac·u·a

• 1.[list:dfecbd13b4]
  a. Absence of matter.
  b. A space empty of matter.
  c. A space relatively empty of matter.
  d. A space in which the pressure is significantly lower than atmospheric pressure.

2. A state of emptiness; a void.
3. A state of being sealed off from external or environmental influences; isolation.
4. pl. vac·uums A vacuum cleaner.[/list:u:dfecbd13b4]

By 1a, 1b and 2, it is not a vacuum: the density of the interstellar medium is a few particles per cubic centimeter, the density of gas in our solar system is about a hundred particles per cubic centimeter. Of course, 1c and 1d will fit, but those are probably there because of common usage (i.e. a vacuum cleaner isn't even remotely a vacuum (1b)).

[BoredHugeKrill]

What's the most believed falsehood that directly affects peoples lives? (actually hurts them in some way)

surprised nobody has mentioned astrology...

the proportion of people who actually believe in astrological predictions is alarming, to say the least - and this is pervasive throughout the world. In many countries, you'll find daily horoscopes published in mainstream newspapers.

This, I believe, is the root and trunk of which all other astro-bunk are the branches

Krill

[swansont]

i'd say the most widely believed misconception is that space is a vacuum

By what semantics is space not a vacuum?

From www.dictionary.com:

vac·u·um, n. pl. vac·u·ums or vac·u·a

• 1.[list:e7d089acbd]
  a. Absence of matter.
  b. A space empty of matter.
  c. A space relatively empty of matter.
  d. A space in which the pressure is significantly lower than atmospheric pressure.

2. A state of emptiness; a void.
3. A state of being sealed off from external or environmental influences; isolation.
4. pl. vac·uums A vacuum cleaner.[/list:u:e7d089acbd]

By 1a, 1b and 2, it is not a vacuum: the density of the interstellar medium is a few particles per cubic centimeter, the density of gas in our solar system is about a hundred particles per cubic centimeter. Of course, 1c and 1d will fit, but those are probably there because of common usage (i.e. a vacuum cleaner isn't even remotely a vacuum (1b)).

In common science parlance, the definition is 1d. The misconception isn't so much that space is a vacuum, but that a vacuum must be completely empty.

[WolfKC]

So what kind of pressure is there say half way between earth and the moon. Is it like so low that the partacles in a cubic meter can be counted on one hand? If so, that's a pretty strong vacuume.

[Andreas]

So what kind of pressure is there say half way between earth and the moon. Is it like so low that the partacles in a cubic meter can be counted on one hand? If so, that's a pretty strong vacuume.

From http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplan...ts/medium.html: "The temperature of the interplanetary medium is about 100,000 K. Its density is about 5 particles/cm3 near the Earth and decreases by an inverse square law farther from the Sun. However, the density is highly variable, it can be as much as 100 particles/cm3."

So, about 5 million particles per cubic meter near Earth.

[WolfKC]

So what kind of pressure is there say half way between earth and the moon. Is it like so low that the partacles in a cubic meter can be counted on one hand? If so, that's a pretty strong vacuume.

From http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplan...ts/medium.html: "The temperature of the interplanetary medium is about 100,000 K. Its density is about 5 particles/cm3 near the Earth and decreases by an inverse square law farther from the Sun. However, the density is highly variable, it can be as much as 100 particles/cm3."

So, about 5 million particles per cubic meter near Earth.

Well that really sucks!

[Madcat]

The Universe doesn't suck; it blows. Hey, there's another misconception!