值得一看:破解50個現代常見誤解(上)

Coffee is made from beans, chameleons change colour to match their surroundings and Mount Qomolangma is the 'tallest' mountain in the world.

咖啡是由咖啡豆製成，變色龍會根據它們周圍的環境改變身上的顏色，珠穆朗瑪峯是世界上最高的山。

These are all modern day 'facts' which we believe to be true – but experts have pointed out that many are simple misconceptions.

這些都是在現代社會中我們確信的“事實”，但是專家指出其中一些“事實”其實是有誤解的。

For example, while Qomolangma is officially the tallest mountain in the world, some claim it technically shouldn't own the title because Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain when measured from base to summit.

例如，雖然珠穆朗瑪峯是官方認證世界上最高的山，但從技術角度來說，它並不是最高的。如果測量距離是從山底到山峯，莫納克亞山（夏威夷島的死火山）纔是世界上最高的山。

Others are just downright myths, such as that the Great Wall of China can be seen from space and that caffeine is dehydrating.

其他的“事實”很明顯是虛構的。比如，從太空上可以看到中國的長城，咖啡因讓人脫水。

Many of the 'faux facts' date back generations and have become part of common folklore but are often based on rumour or as a result of Chinese whispers.

一些“假事實”來自代代相傳的說法，其中一些說法轉變成廣爲流傳的民間傳說，但它們經常都是從謠言或者以訛傳訛的演變結果發展來的。

However, closer inspection reveals that commonly-held assumptions such as 'eating cheese before bed gives you nightmares' are, in fact, not quite as true as they seem.

然而，更詳細的調查揭露一些被普遍接受的假設，比如睡前吃奶酪會做噩夢，而實際上，並不是他們認爲的那樣準確。

The raft of common misconceptions was uncovered by Ripley's Believe it or Not! London, a visitor attraction dedicated to the bizarre in Piccadilly Circus.

許多普遍的誤解在雷普利的節目《信不信由你》（Ripley's Believe it or Not）中被解開。

A spokesman said: 'If you're told something enough times, you're sure to start believing it.

一位發言人曾說過：“如果你把一件事說很多次，那麼你就會開始相信它。”

'The misconceptions in this list are all pretty plausible, so it's understandable that many Brits will have read it and been certain it's true, with many of us being told these from an early age.

在這榜單上的誤解貌似都非常可信，所以可以理解英國人讀了這些後會信以爲真，我們在早些時候也被告知過這些所謂的“事實”。

'Unbelievably, all of these commonly believed facts are in fact common misconceptions that we have myths and misconceptions.

不可思議的是，這些廣泛被人們相信的事實實際上都是誤解，這些是由我們虛構和誤解得來的。

'We've found this research really interesting as the whole Ripley's attraction is filled with exhibits that have the 'Believe It or Not!' factor.

“我們發現這個研究非常的有意思，完全吸引了雷普利的眼球，因此這些就成爲了《信不信由你》的節目素材。

'As our founder Robert Ripley used to say, it is often the strangest things that are true.'

“正如我們的創始人羅伯特雷普利（Robert Ripley）曾說過，最奇怪的事通常都是真的。”

THE TOP 50 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS RESOLVED

50大普遍的誤解被解開

1. Coffee is made from beans

咖啡是由咖啡豆製成

While it is widely believed that coffee comes from 'coffee beans', experts say it is actually made from a seed which is called a bean.

儘管大家廣泛認爲，咖啡是由咖啡豆製成，但專家說，咖啡其實是由種子製成也就是大家說的“豆”。

2. Chameleons change colour to match their surroundings

變色龍會根據它們周圍的環境改變身上的顏色

Believe it or not, chameleons actually change colour as a response to mood, temperature, communication and light instead of the object they are touching.

不管你信不信，變色龍其實是根據情緒、溫度、溝通、光線來變色的，而不是它們接觸到的物體。

3. Mount Qomolangma is the 'tallest' mountain in the world

珠穆朗瑪峯是世界上最高的山

While Mount Qomolangma is officially deemed the tallest mountain in the world, experts claim that technically it may not be. The summit of Qomolangma is officially higher above sea level than the summit of any other mountain, but Mauna Kea is the tallest when measured from base to summit. However, the record books deem it the tallest because it has the highest peak on Earth.

儘管珠穆朗瑪峯是官方認可的世界上最高的山，但專家說在技術層面上來說它並不是最高的。官方認爲，從海平面算起，珠穆朗瑪峯的最高點要高於其它的山。但如果從山底算起，莫納克亞山（夏威夷島的死火山）是世界上最高的山。但是，世界紀錄手冊上依然認定珠穆朗瑪峯是最高的，因爲它有着地球上最高的山峯。

4. The Great Wall of China can be seen from space

在太空能看到中國的萬里長城

The Apollo astronauts confirmed that you can't see the Great Wall of China from the Moon. In fact, all you can see from the Moon is the white and blue marble of Earth.

阿波羅宇航員證實，人們不能從月球看到中國的長城。事實上，你可以從月球看到像白色和藍色大理石一樣的地球。

5. One human year is equivalent to seven dog years

人類的一年相當於狗的七年。

While true in some cases, it does not apply to everyone because it very much depends on the size and breed of the dog.

雖然在某些情況下是真實的，但並不都這樣，因爲它在很大程度上取決於狗的大小和品種。

6. You lose your body heat fastest through your head

散失身體熱量最快的部位是頭部。

While this is widely believed to be true, some experts say it is a myth and claim humans would be just as cold if they went without a hat as if they went without trousers.

雖然這被普遍認爲是真實的，但一些專家認爲這是沒有依據的，因爲如果他們不戴帽子，一定會像沒穿褲子一樣的冷。

7. The Earth revolves around the Sun

地球圍繞太陽轉。

Technically, the Earth, sun and all of the other the planets are orbiting around the centre of mass of the solar system, not specifically the sun.

從技術上講，地球、太陽和所有其他的行星都圍繞着太陽系的質量中心轉，並不是特定地圍繞着太陽轉。

8. Different parts of your tongue detects different tastes

舌頭的不同部位品嚐不同的味道。

This was scientifically disproven by research which found that all taste sensations come from all regions of the tongue, although different parts are more sensitive to certain tastes which may be where the popular saying comes from.

科學研究發現，所有味覺來自舌頭各地區，只是不同的部分對其特定的味道更爲敏感，可能這個流行的錯誤說法正來自於此。

9. Peanuts are a type of nut

花生是堅果的一種。

Unbelievably, peanuts, along with beans and peas, actually belong to the single plant family, Leguminosae.

令人難以置信的是，繼豆類，豌豆之後，花生也屬於單一植物家族——豆科。

10. Giving children sugar makes them hyper

糖會使兒童亢奮。

While some experts do stand by this common belief, other professors claim that the majority of scientific research has concluded that sugar does not cause hyperactivity in youngsters.

雖然一些專家認同這個說法，但其他教授聲稱，大多數科學研究得出的結論是糖不會導致青少年患多動症。

11. Humans have five senses

人類有五種感覺。

This is correct, although in actual fact there are at least nine senses and most researchers think there are more like 21. The five main senses - sight, sound, touch, smell and taste - are the ones referred to in this popular saying.

這是正確的，儘管事實上人類有至少九種感覺，並且大多數研究者認爲更多，也許多達二十一種。五個主要的感官——視覺，聽覺，觸覺，嗅覺和味覺——是這個流行說法中所提到的。

12. Fortune cookies are a Chinese tradition

吃福餅是中國人的傳統。

Fortune cookies were originally the invention of Japanese-Americans before being widely adopted by Chinese culture.

在被中國文化廣泛採納之前，幸運餅乾是日裔美國人發明的。

13. Sushi means 'raw fish'

壽司的意思是生魚片。

Sushi actually translates as sour-tasting.

實際上，壽司應譯爲酸味食物。

14. Vikings wore horned helmets

維京人戴着唐冠螺。

While this may well be true, experts say there is actually no evidence to suggest that Vikings ever wore horned helmets.

專家認爲，雖然這可能是真的，但其實沒有證據表明海盜曾經戴唐冠螺。

15. The forbidden fruit mentioned in the Book of Genesis is an apple

在聖經《創世紀》中提到的禁果是蘋果。

The bible never mentions the forbidden fruit was an apple.

聖經中從未提到聖果就是蘋果。

16. Vitamin C is an effective treatment for a cold

維生素C可以有效地治療感冒。

Flu-sufferers are often encouraged to increase their dosage of Vitamin C, but most experts have stated that there is little or no evidence that the vitamin can help treatment of a cold. Instead of effectively treating a cold, it is thought to help build up the immune system to ward of potential flu viruses.

流感患者們經常被鼓勵增加維生素C的劑量，但大多數專家都表示，有很少或沒有證據表明維生素可以幫助治療感冒的。事實上，維生素C被認爲能幫助建立免疫系統，以抵禦潛在的流感病毒，而不能有效地治療感冒。

17. Penguins mate for life

企鵝都是終身一夫一妻制

Penguins are mostly monogamous, but there are some species such as the Emperor Penguin which are serially monogamous. They mate with one couple for the whole season but will probably mate with another penguin the following year as the urgent need for breeding will make them avoid waiting for the same couple.

企鵝大多是終身一夫一妻制，但也有一些物種如帝企鵝是連續性一夫一妻制。它們一年到頭與同一個伴侶交配，但次年可能會作爲育種的迫切需要，而與另一個企鵝交配，這樣它們不必花時間等待之前的伴侶。

18. Caffeine dehydrates you

咖啡會使你脫水

While caffeinated drinks may have a mild diuretic effect - meaning that they may cause the need to urinate - some experts believe they don't appear to increase the risk of dehydration.

雖然含咖啡因的飲料可能有一種溫和的利尿劑效果——這意味着他們可能會導致我們需要尿尿，但一些專家認爲他們不會增加脫水的風險。

19. When in London, you are merely six feet away from a rat

在倫敦，離你六英尺的地方就會有一隻老鼠

This could well be true but hasn't been proven and is just a rough estimate as rodents are not evenly spread apart.

這很可能是真的，但尚未被證實，只是一個粗略的估計，因爲齧齒動物的分佈並不均勻。

20. There is a dark side of the moon

月亮有一個黑暗面

As the Moon is constantly rotating on its own axis, there is no area of the planetoid which is in permanent darkness.

當月亮以它的軸爲中心不斷旋轉時，沒有哪個區域會在永恆的黑暗中。