Oct31

October 31, 2006

Ten Urban Legends
(Thanks to www.snopes.com for providing validation on these legends)

1.	LEGEND: It takes seven years for chewing gum to pass through the human digestive system. (TRUTH: Gum digests in the same amount of time as anything else ingested.)

2.	LEGEND: The carbonation of Coca-Cola was originally an accident. (TRUTH: It was done purposefully in an attempt to offer a “sparkling” drink when alcohol was banned in certain counties in Georgia.)

3.	LEGEND: Mother birds will smell human scent on baby birds returned to their nest and refuse to care for them. (TRUTH: Birds do not have a well-developed sense of smell and cannot detect the presence of human scent.)

4.	LEGEND: Swimmers must wait one hour after eating before returning to the water. (TRUTH: Eating before swimming does not cause cramping or the alleged result of drowning.)

5.	LEGEND: Humans only use about 10% of their brain. (TRUTH: Modern medicine can show images of the brain being used to full capacity.)

6.	LEGEND: A Tootsie Pop wrapper with a picture of an Indian can be redeemed with Tootsie Roll Industries for a bag of candy. (TRUTH: Tootsie Pops have been around since 1931, and the wrappers have never been redeemable. In fact, 30% of the wrappers include the Indian figure, and if you are one of the 150 people still sending wrappers to the company, you will probably receive nothing but a note of apology.)

7.	LEGEND: Mobile homes are so named for their ability to be transported anywhere. (TRUTH: They were actually named for Mobile, Alabama—where they gained popularity.)

8.	LEGEND: Throwing rice at weddings is dangerous for birds. (TRUTH: Birds do not explode from eating rice. The rice is more dangerous to people who could potentially slip on it than to birds.)

9.	LEGEND: Cats will smother a human baby. (TRUTH: Cats just don’t do that. Nor do they harm a baby in an attempt to get the milk smell from their mouth or by sleeping on them.)

10.	LEGEND: Twinkies have an indefinite shelf life. (TRUTH: They stay good for 25 days.)


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Watch out for Lies in Disguise!

Traditionally, research was done at the library and required digging through books and journals for specific information. With the Internet, a trip to the library is no longer required for research. Information is found as easily as typing a subject into Google or Yahoo! for an immediate answer. However, the Internet is not regulated for accuracy, and it is the job of the Internet user to verify what is fact and what is fiction.

Determining what type of information appears with an Internet search is not difficult—it just requires a bit of critical thinking. Below are some tips for determining whether the information might be reliable or best viewed with some skepticism:

•	Notice who published the website. A well-known organization such as The Journal of the American Medical Association is much more reliable than a page published by John Smith. John Smith’s page may contain strong, dependable information, but without knowing this person’s credentials, it’s best not to trust him without further investigation.
•	Google the author. Learn what others say about the person who wrote the article. If no author is given, then think twice about relying on this information.
•	Check for marks of validity. Look to see if a website or the accompanying article is copyrighted. Some articles will also provide permission to reproduce. Many times, a web page will provide a “last updated” date. Check this date carefully. Old information on an evolving topic may not be reliable.
•	Look closely for bias. Some websites are published to inform the reader, but others are published to persuade the reader. While persuasive articles can serve a purpose, they may not be a good source for research-based tasks. Read carefully to see if the author is promoting only one idea without providing the other viewpoint. Watch for inflammatory language. Frequently, people offering a fair evaluation of a topic will provide links to opposing and/or supporting points of view.
•	Trust your instinct. Think about what you are reading and how you perceived it when you first read it. Did it remind you of something you might find in the library or did it make you think of a segment from a talk radio show? Did you feel like you were being sold something too good to be true or you were being instructed about the pros and cons of a new product? Stepping back and thinking about what you read will often provide you with good insight.

Today’s society is fortunate to be able to find information on virtually any subject just by opening a web browser. However, this advantage also leads to the responsibility of evaluating what is there. Taking a few minutes to evaluate information found on the Internet not only ensures a well-researched effort, it also builds valuable critical-thinking skills.

H-O-H!

I tell my chemistry students that if they draw the geometry of the water molecule in the linear H-O-H form, we will die because water will be a gas at room temperature. Drawing the water molecule in its true bent form rather than linear makes it a liquid at room temperature.

To be scary for Halloween, I tell them to dress up as a linear water molecule. Last year in response to this, several of my students made tee shirts with H-O-H on the front and wore them to school on Halloween.

Linda Gornek
Chemistry teacher
Dulles High School, Sugar Land, TX

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Recipe: Pumpkin Seeds

Many thanks to Debbie Logan of Perryton, Texas for submitting the perfect post-Halloween treat!

"Wash fiber off of pumpkin seeds. Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to boil, then simmer for 2 hours. Drain and dry off excess moisture.

Put 2 tbsp oil in a large zip lock bag and toss seeds in it. Drain. Season with your favorite seasoning salt. (We like Lowry’s.) Bake in shallow pan in a single layer at 225 degrees for 1 hour, or longer for large seeds. ENJOY!"

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