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We go through life and learn each day, but sometimes we can be factually wrong in what we believe. Research shows that we tend to embrace information that supports our beliefs, even when it's wrong, and scientists call this "confirmation bias." Sifting through what's true and not can be especially hard online; luckily, there are communities that help debunk common misconceptions and myths.
The "Learned Wrong" is a subreddit dedicated exactly to that, with a mission of "Clearing up misconceptions and outdated information you might have been taught across history, science, [intimacy], health, and more."
From serious science stuff like myths about the ozone layer, to more light-hearted ones like our teachers telling us we won't always have a calculator in our pockets or how periods really work, here are the most interesting things people have unlearned thanks to this online community.
More info: Reddit
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#1
Most Women Probably Won't Care Either
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#2
Some Of Y'all Learned Wrong That Society Totally Forgot About The Hole In The Ozone Layer
#3
I Learned Wrong That Everyone's Forgotten After 3 Generations
"It must be true if it's on the Internet," is a common joke online. By now, most people know that online spaces, especially social media, are rife with false information, news, and facts. In 2025, the Pew Research Center surveyed people from 25 high-and middle-income countries about their views on misinformation online.
The survey revealed that people take false information on the Internet seriously. In fact, 72% of the people surveyed from all 25 countries claimed they see it as a major threat to their states. Interestingly, older people (those over 50) and those on the ideological left tend to believe that misinformation is a serious issue.
#4
How To Never Work A Day In Your Life
David 19 hours ago
Sadly too many people choose degrees that have few or no jobs. Do a practical degree with a second major in what you like. We graduate 2x more english majors than jobs that require it, 8x more gender studies than jobs for it, while a shortage of engineers, math, PA, NP, etc. Unless you plan to go to law school or med school (doing the pre-reqs), do a degree that will lead to a job. Or go into the wonderful world of the Trades where we need and can earn well as a welder, Plummer, electrician, etc. We have a 1.1 million deficit in the US for the skilled trades. Most can be done in 14-24 months, with much lower costs and debt than college.
#5
I Learned Wrong That Puerto Rico Isn't Technically Part Of The US
LakotaWolf (she/her) 18 hours ago
Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States. "Under the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917, all individuals born in Puerto Rico are granted natural U.S. citizenship, entitling them to American passports and the same rights as those born in the 50 states." As an American growing up in the 80s/90s, I remember that Puerto Rico was sometimes jokingly and affectionately called "the 51st state". It's saddening to me that some of my fellow Americans refuse to acknowledge that people born in Puerto Rico are American citizens just like they are.
#6
I Learned Wrong That "News" Stands For "Notable Events, Weather, And Sports"
People come across suspicious information and claims almost daily. According to a 2024 Ofcom study, 4 in 10 UK adults encountered misinformation or deepfake content at least 4 weeks before taking the survey. By now, people don't put much faith in the Internet to find reliable information: 71% of survey respondents admitted they have come to terms with the fact that online spaces will always be a mixed bag of reliable and unreliable information.
The negative aspect of this doubting and questioning is that people are losing trust in news providers. Only 32% of Brits think that journalists work transparently, and 42% believe that traditional news sources cover up more important stories.
#7
I Learned Wrong That Botox Makes You Look Younger
LakotaWolf (she/her) 18 hours ago
My mom is 82 and has been getting Botox for years. She looks exactly like an 82-year-old who has gotten Botox and many many other plastic surgeries XD
#8
This Isn’t How You Should Be Washing Your Face???
#9
People Didn't Only Live Until They Were 30 In The Past
David 19 hours ago
If you lived past 10, average age in ancient Rome or Medieval period was 58-63. Average age in the poorest parts of the developing world today is 63. And yes, old people were around, even people hitting 100 happened, but it was rare. Basically most people lived to late 50s to mid 60s back then.
But misinformation doesn't apply only to news and politics. As we can see from this list, we often learn things wrong early in our lives, such as how our bodies, animal behavior, and social interactions work. Take the infamous claim that we only use 10% of our brains, which was even used in the 2014 film Lucy, starring Scarlett Johansson.
That claim is actually a myth. According to scientists at MIT, we use 100% of our brains. "All of our brain is constantly in use and consumes a tremendous amount of energy," an associate professor of brain and cognitive sciences, Mila Halgren, explains. Even if we experience brain injuries, our brains can bounce back and function at a 100% capacity. "Entire brain hemispheres can be removed during early childhood and the rest of the brain will rewire and compensate for the loss," Halgren says.
#10
This Guy Learned Wrong That Menstrual Pain Is A Myth
#11
Today I Learned White Claws Aren’t Energy Drinks
#12
People Do Not Swallow 8 Spiders A Year While Sleeping
There are plenty of interesting tidbits like these on the Internet. In fact, you'll even see a lot here on Bored Panda. However, there's an art to fact-checking, which ones are true and which are not even in the realm of plausible. Digital literacy expert Mike Caulfield has created the SIFT method to spot misinformation online, with each letter corresponding to a step.
#13
Dinosaurs Weren't All Scaly Reptiles. Some Actually Had Feathers Or Feather-Like Coverings
#14
I Learned Wrong Back In Elementary School That Christopher Columbus Was A Hero Who Did Nothing Wrong
#15
"You Won't Always Have A Calculator In Your Pocket"
David Paterson 17 hours ago
Going back one generation before mine. "Children must be taught to write on slates because there won't always be paper around to write on".
S is for stop. There's a sense of never-ending urgency online, but Caulfield invites people to take a beat and wait before believing every single thing we come across as we scroll on our devices. Instead of sharing the thing you think you just learned or commenting on it, move on to the next step.
#16
Nobel Prize Winning Economist Paul Krugman
David 19 hours ago
to be fair, his Nobel Prize work was all stuff published between 1989 and 1995, and he hasnt published in a tier 1 or 2 journal since 2002, and is considered a joke in his profession as the guy who was a has been in his 40s. His work was also derivative of Jagdish Bhagwati, whom members of the Nobel committee admitted he should have had to share it with, but for political reasons gave it solo to Krugman, and then Krugman in his acceptance speech didn't even recognize or thank Bhagwati.
#17
Being Cold Won't Directly Give You A Cold. Colds Are Caused By Viruses, Not By Temperature
Remi (He/Him) 18 hours ago
A recent study showed that cold nose means weaker immune system in the area, so you might be more right saying, people catch colds easier when the air is cold. Also cold weather means people spend more time indoors coughing at each other
#18
I Learned Wrong That Bats Are Blind. Bats Do Use Echolocation To Locate Prey, But It's Supplementary To Their Vision (Which Works Quite Well) Rather Than A Replacement
I — investigate the source. Where does this claim come from? A TikTok creator may have shared that a new supplement on the market can help you lose weight and feel more energized. Check whether they're being paid to make this claim, and whether they're affiliated with the company that makes the supplement. Does the creator have any expertise: are they an influencer, a dietician, a scientist, perhaps? It's always a good idea to ask yourself: "Would you believe what this person is saying even if you disagreed with them?"
#19
Til The Great Wall Of China Is Not Actually Visible From Space, It's Just A Myth
Bob Brooce 14 hours ago
Kind of ironic that this one uses what's presumably a (zoomed in) satellite image showing the great wall.
#20
Shaving Doesn't Make Hair Grow Back Thicker. This Was Disproven Almost A Hundred Years Ago. This Myth Might Exist Because Newly Grown Hair Can Look Thicker
LakotaWolf (she/her) 18 hours ago
I remember hearing this all the time as a girl/teen. Expected to shave my legs as a female because leg hair on girls is gross, but also don't shave it because it'll grow back in thicker! XD
#21
Vikings Didn't Actually Wear Horned Helmets. That Image Was Based Off 19th Century Art Rather Than Actual Archaeological Findings
David Paterson 17 hours ago
According to QI, most Viking raiders didn't wear helmets at all. They wore beanies.
Next is F — find better, more reliable sources. Google has a search engine specifically for that, but there are also fact-checking sites like Snopes, PolitiFact, AP Fact Check, Washington Post Fact Checker, and many more. Reputable media outlets should be accredited by the Poynter International Fact-Checking Network, which maintains alist on its website.
#22
Wydm People Irl Don’t Go From Dorky To Hot Just From Taking Off Their Glasses??
Little Bit 6 hours ago
When I take my glasses off, I don't look hot. I look stupid because I can't see what the hell I'm doing.
#23
I Learned Wrong That The Moon Has No Gravity
#24
Breakfast Isn't The Most Important Meal Of The Day For Everyone. It Only Might Be For People Who Need Extra Energy In The Mornings. Research Shows That Overall Nutrition Is More Important Than When You Eat
Remi (He/Him) 17 hours ago
A kid skipping breakfast might do so because the parent(s) aren't providing one. If that's true, the kid is also less likely to have parental help with studying which leads to poorer test scores.
The last step is T — tracing the claim to its original source. Let's take the "We use 10% of our brains" claim — what was its origin? The claim was first made in 1907, when the founder of American psychology, William James, suggested in one of his books that the human brain has far more potential than we use. There are claims that Albert Einstein swore he could access more than 10% of his brainpower, but there are no direct quotes from him.
#25
Turkey May Not Have Actually Been Eaten At "The First Thanksgiving" In 1621
#26
I Learned Wrong That Marie Antoinette Said "Let Them Eat Cake" About The French Working Class. The Actual Line Was "Let Them Eat Brioche" And Written By Philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau In His Autobiography Who Attributed It To An Unnamed Princess
#27
I Learned Wrong From Nintendo That Mario And Peach Are Just Friends
How do you cope with the rampant misinformation online, Pandas? What things have you gotten wrong in the past, and how did you find out your knowledge was actually false? Let us know your stories in the comments below! And while you're here, join us in learning new things about history with these historical photographs, and delve into the beautiful world of wildlife with this compilation of pics from the "Darn Nature You Scary" online group.
#28
Eating Carrots Won't Help Improve Your Vision. Carrots Help Maintain Overall Eye Health, But Won't Make You See Better In The Dark
Gavin Johnson 19 hours ago
Propaganda to cover up our development of radar. The RAF put it about that night fighter pilots had a carrot rich diet to help them see German night bombers. In reality they had radio contact with WAAF members who directed them onto the incoming bomber stream. Later the radar systems were smaller and fitted to the aircraft. Carrots are very nice though, especially dipped in hummus.
#29
I Learned Wrong That Hip Dips Are Caused By Weight Or Are A Deformity. Turns Out They're Pretty Normal, Common, And Can't Be "Fixed" By Workouts
cerinamroth 12 hours ago
I can't understand why anyone would be bothered about such a thing. Your body tells a story, and everyone's story is different. Don't judge your own body, or anyone else's. Thank it every day for getting you through life, and treat it with kindness.
#30
I Learned Wrong That Bulls Charge At Matadors Because The Flag They Wave Is Red. The Color Doesn't Matter, Only The Motion
TIL that Bulls don’t actually hate the colour red. In Bull fights, they don’t charge at the cape because of its colour, but because of the motion it makes when the matador waves it. The cape is just red to mask the bloodstains from the fight.
#31
Just One Space Is Fine
#32
I Learned Wrong That Forgetting Your Password Is Weakness
Gail Lott 16 hours ago
I keep telling my mom that she’s lived a long time and experienced a lot of stuff. That’s data. The more data you have the more likely it is it will take longer to find that specific piece of data. Plus she’s always been a little lala and forgetful. Her absentmindedness is not new. lol
#33
Sugar Doesn't Directly Make Kids Hyper. Eating Sugary Foods Is Associated With Activities Where Kids Are Typically Hyper, Such As Birthday Parties
Geoffrey Scott 12 hours ago
I know from experience though, that 'fruit' punch (red), does wind them up a bit.
#34
Still Eating Your Halloween Candy? The Chances Of It Being Poisoned Are Way Lower Than What You’ve Probably Been Taught, But Not Zero
#35
The Pilgrims Didn't Actually Wear Black Clothing With Buckles On The Regular. They Usually Wore Colorful Clothing. The Black Clothing Mainly Came From How They Were Depicted By The Victorians
#36
The Indigenous Mexica People Did Not Believe That Spanish Explorer Hernán Cortés Was A God
Geoffrey Scott 12 hours ago
Ahhhh...THAT'S where the MAGAtics got it from. Though being that is from what they deem 'inferior races', I doubt it.
#37
The First Thanksgiving In 1621 Wasn't Just A Celebration Of Gratitude And Friendship Between The Indigenous Folks (Wampanoag) And The Pilgrims. The Wampanoag Were Mainly Motivated By Securing An Alliance For Self-Defense
#38
You’ve Been Buying IKEA Furniture Wrong
#39
Jesus Might Not Have Actually Been Born On December 25. No Official Record Of His Birth Has Been Found. There Are Multiple Theories As To Why December 25 Was Chosen
#40
The Pilgrims May Not Have Initially Landed At Plymouth Rock In 1620. The Actual Landing Place Hasn't Been Found Yet
#41
The English Spelling Rule "I Before E Except After C" Doesn't Hold Up As Much As You Were Taught It Does. There's A Ton Of Exceptions: Science, Height, Their, Protein, Caffeine, Vein, Beige, Neighbor, Weird, Seize, And Many Others Break This
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What do you think ?
David Paterson 17 hours ago
What annoys me is how a well known and correct fact is immediately rejected as wrong just because some ignoramus on TV or in an advertisement says it is.
Geobugi🇰🇷🇰🇭 15 hours ago
Or it gets repeated here again and again. Like no anesthesia was used for babies are the inevitable gamma ray burst wich is about the k**l us surely within the next half year
Load More Replies... 
highwaycrossingfrog 2 hours ago
Why are so many of these about pilgrims and Thanksgiving? Do Americans just get taught fake news?
David Paterson 17 hours ago
What annoys me is how a well known and correct fact is immediately rejected as wrong just because some ignoramus on TV or in an advertisement says it is.
Geobugi🇰🇷🇰🇭 15 hours ago
Or it gets repeated here again and again. Like no anesthesia was used for babies are the inevitable gamma ray burst wich is about the k**l us surely within the next half year
Load More Replies... highwaycrossingfrog 2 hours ago
Why are so many of these about pilgrims and Thanksgiving? Do Americans just get taught fake news?
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