Ever heard the one about the mysterious face that’s been carved into the Martian surface? Or that the world’s going to end in the year 2012? Or that more crimes occur during full moons than at any other time?
The reality is that astronomy, just like every other subject that influences our lives, has more than its share of myths and urban legends out there. And once a few people start to believe a myth and pass it around, it becomes hard to know what’s true and what isn’t.
It’s a good thing for us that the fine folks at Astronomy magazine have taken the time to debunk some of these tall tales. Here’s the link to a treasure trove of information about what’s true and what’s not — mostly what’s not. For instance: did you know that there IS gravity in space, that the changing of seasons has nothing to do with how far Earth is from the Sun, or that watching Jersey Shore on MTV will make you 25% dumber?
Okay, we made that last one up. But that doesn’t mean it’s not true.