HOW THEY START AND WHY THEY PERSIST Urban Myths and Legends

Write down a few things to help you understand these non- examples of Science

What are Urban Legends They are not easily verifiable. Usually passed by word of mouth or more commonly today- in form. Offer insight into our fears and the state of society. Can be good fun. Often too good to be true or at least partly based on fact. Offer a moral lesson. When people don’t understand something, they will fill in the gaps with their own information…often making it up.

FACT vs. FICTION Objective: Science findings are based upon evidence. Distinguish between examples and non-examples of Science

TRUE OR FALSE? Can you determine fact from fiction?

1. It takes seven years to digest gum?

2. The Great Wall of China is the only manmade structure visible from space? Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy of Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center.IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy of Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center.

3.Humans use only 10 percent of their brains? Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and Dr. Kamil Ugurbil, University of Minnesota.IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and Dr. Kamil Ugurbil, University of Minnesota.

4. Water drains backwards in the Southern Hemisphere due to the Earth's rotation? Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Morguefile.com / William RoeslyIMAGE CREDIT: Morguefile.com / William Roesly

5. A penny dropped from the top of a tall building could kill a pedestrian? Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchngIMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchng

6. A dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's? Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Morguefile.com / MaryIMAGE CREDIT: Morguefile.com / Mary

7. Lightning never strikes the same place twice? Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy Steven Vanderburg, NOAAIMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy Steven Vanderburg, NOAA

8. Seasons are caused by how close the Earth is to the sun? Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy NASA/JPL-CaltechIMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech

9. The five second rule? Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchngIMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchng

10. Hair and fingernails continue growing after death? Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchngIMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchng

ONS_WITH_MR S_WELSH_WEBSITES_TO_EVALUATE_LOOK _AT_THE.HTM Let’s Practice

Assignment (Please refer to the assignment sheet for complete instructions) Your task is to become a Myth Buster. Select one of the ten urban legends discussed or one of your own and make a prediction concerning it’s validity. Locate and identify three sources that will validate or invalidate the urban legend you have selected (see assignment sheet) Following your investigation draw a conclusion about the validity of the urban legend. Further Investigation: What type of experiment could you conduct to validate your conclusion?

The Five W’s of Web Site Evaluation Who  Who is the author? Credibility? Contact Information? What  Purpose, Credential, Objective When  When Published? Updated? Where  Source? Is there a sponsor? Why  Why should I use this source?

Where can I go to validate the information? Credible journals (New England Journal of Medicine, Science, National Geographic) Information and publications from universities and teaching institutions.edu,.gov,.net websites Credible periodicals (New York Times, Wall Street Journal) not tabloids or advertisements! Other ideas??

Here’s what you need to do in the computer lab: Myth Busting Select an Urban Myth or Legend, either one we discussed in class or one you find independently. Make a prediction about the validity or truth of the Urban Legend. Locate three sources that validate or invalidate the premise of the myth. For each source complete the table below. Draw a conclusion based on the research you conducted and evidence you collected.

Prediction: What and Why Source #1Source #2Source #3 Who: Who is the Author? Do they have credibility? How do you know? Can you contact them? What: What is the purpose of the content? Does the source have credibility and credential? Is it objective? When: When was it published or created, and or updated? Where: Where does the information come from? Is there a sponsor? What is the purpose? Why: Why should I use this source? Conclusion: What does my research support? Name ___________________ Prediction: What and Why Source #1Source #2Source #3 Who: Who is the Author? Do they have credibility? How do you know? Can you contact them? What: What is the purpose of the content? Does the source have credibility and credential? Is it objective? When: When was it published or created, and or updated? Where: Where does the information come from? Is there a sponsor? What is the purpose? Why: Why should I use this source? Conclusion: What does my research support? Myth BustingDate: Objective: Evaluate Evidence

What Does This Have to Do With Science? Distinguish between factual statements and inferences. Evaluate scientifically related claims against available evidence. Reject pseudoscience as a source of scientific knowledge. Apply principles and concepts of science to explain various phenomena. Distinguish between science and non-science.

And the answer is… DAY 2 of the ACTIVITY

It takes seven years to digest gum While it may prove a bit more difficult to break down than organic foodstuffs, chewing gum gets no special treatment from the digestive system. Doctors figure this old wives' tale was invented to prevent kids from swallowing the rubbery substance.

The Great Wall of China is the only manmade structure visible from space (moon). Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy of Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center.IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy of Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. There are several variations on this folkloric statement, and they're all quantifiably false.quantifiably false. Astronauts can spot the Great Wall from low-Earth orbit, along with plenty of other things like the Giza pyramids and even airport runways. But they can't see the Wall from the Moon.

Humans use only 10 percent of their brains Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and Dr. Kamil Ugurbil, University of Minnesota.IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and Dr. Kamil Ugurbil, University of Minnesota. This media darling has been around for at least a century. Fortunately, it's just not true. MRI imaging clearly demonstrates--with fancy colors no less— that humans put most of their cerebral cortex to good use, even while dozing.even while dozing

Water drains backwards in the Southern Hemisphere due to the Earth's rotation Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Morguefile.com / William RoeslyIMAGE CREDIT: Morguefile.com / William Roesly Not only is the Earth's rotation too weak to affect the direction of water flowing in a drain, tests you can easily perform in a few washrooms will show that water whirlpools both ways depending on the sink's structure, not the hemisphere.

A penny dropped from the top of a tall building could kill a pedestrian Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchngIMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchng A penny isn't the most aerodynamic of weapons. A combination of its shape and wind friction means that, tossed even from the 1,250-foot Empire State Building, it would travel fast enough merely to sting an unlucky pedestrian.

A dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Morguefile.com / MaryIMAGE CREDIT: Morguefile.com / Mary Despite a habit of licking things no human would dare, Fido's mouth is often touted as scientifically more sterile. Truth is, oral bacteria are so species-specific that one can't be considered cleaner than the other, just different.

Lightning never strikes the same place twice Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy Steven Vanderburg, NOAAIMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy Steven Vanderburg, NOAA In fact lightning favors certain spots, particularly high locations.lightning The Empire State Building is struck about 25 times every year. Ben Franklin grasped the concept long ago and mounted a metal rod atop the roof of his home, then ran a wire to the ground, thereby inventing the lightning rod.

Seasons are caused by the Earth's proximity to the sun Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy NASA/JPL-CaltechIMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech The Earth's distance from the sun during its yearly elliptical orbit actually has little effect on temperature. It's the angle of the Earth's tilt--towardEarth's tilt the sun in the summer for the Northern Hemisphere and away in the winter--that dictates climate.

The five second rule Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchngIMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchng Having an arbitrary rule justifying the consumption of food dropped on the floor within a certain time frame is convenient, especially when said food is a brownie. Unfortunately, tests (and logic) confirm that germs will stick to most foods right on contact.

Hair and fingernails continue growing after death Photo Credit: IMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchngIMAGE CREDIT: stock.xchng Though hair and fingernails appear to keep growing after death, this is merely a morbid optical illusion at work. In death the human body dehydrates severely, retracting enough skin to expose more nail and hair.