Viraldice: These are the 10 Craziest Myths About the Human Body That Science Has Disproven

veryone and their mothers have accepted some beliefs about the human body that have turned out to be just plain wrong. Though these myths have been proven wrong, they are still widely believed by many — maybe even you.

For example, do you think you're special because your fingerprints are yours and yours alone? Well, think again! You're not special at all! At least not because of your fingerprints. We're sure you're very special in other ways.

1. Shaving your body hair makes it grow back thicker.

This is completely false, a myth perpetuated by Big Body Wax in order to get you to stop buying razors. OK, that’s not true, but it really is a myth that your hair grows back thicker if you shave it.

In fact, there were studies done way back in 1928 that showed that shaving had no effect on hair growth. So there! Shave away.

2. Peeing on a jellyfish sting will alleviate the pain.

It might have worked for Joey in an episode of “Friends,” but no — urinating on a jellyfish sting does not alleviate the pain. Instead, the area where the person was stung should be rinsed with vinegar (go figure!). If vinegar is not available, use salt water.

In tests, urine had the ability to cause active stinging cells to fire, which means urinating on a sting could actually make it worse.

3. You can catch a cold just from being outside in wet or cold weather.

When your mother insists you wear a jacket or else you’ll catch a cold, now you can tell her she’s wrong. Mark Leyner and Dr. Billy Goldberg, the authors of  the book “Why Do Men Have Nipples?,” explain, “Cold or wet weather does not cause a cold … The common cold is caused by a virus. These viruses are everywhere and it is difficult to avoid them.”

So there you have it: The cold will not give you a cold.

4. Most of your body heat is emitted through your head.

Your mom probably also always told you to wear a hat because your head is where most of your body’s heat escapes from. Well, that’s wrong, too! Mom, seriously. Get your facts straight.

A recent study suggests that your head doesn’t give off any more heat than the rest of your body. So wear a hat if you want to or if it looks adorable, but it won’t keep your body any warmer than the best of your body.

5. You can cure a snake bite by sucking out the poison.

Whatever you do, don’t suck the snake poison out of your friend’s leg! It can lead to an infection at the site of the wound because your mouth is a dirty, dirty place.

Instead, the Red Cross suggests that in the event of a snake bite, you wash it with soap and water and apply a bandage. Then immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than your heart. And last but not least, get medical help.