Science · Health · Interactive Activity
Myth vs Fact Cards
Read each statement and decide: is it a myth or a fact? Tap your answer and learn the truth. 40 cards on nutrition, the human body, science, computers and space.
EDUSAMBAM Editorial Team|5 min play|Science · Health · Technology
Many things we hear every day are not true. Some sound sensible but are myths. This activity helps you think carefully, check ideas and remember the real facts. Choose a topic or play a mixed deck.
How to Play
Read the statement, then press Myth if you think it is false or Fact if you think it is true. You can also press the M or F key. The card then tells you the right answer and explains why. A mixed deck has 10 random cards, and a topic deck has all 8 cards in that topic.
Read All the Myths and Facts
You can read every card here, with the answer and explanation, before or after you play.
Nutrition (8 cards)
- Myth: Carrots give you the ability to see in the dark. Carrots contain beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A, and vitamin A is needed for healthy eyes. But eating extra carrots does not give you night vision.
- Fact: Fibre helps food move through your gut. Fibre adds bulk to food and helps digestion. Whole grains, pulses, fruit and vegetables are good sources.
- Myth: All fats are bad for your health. The body needs some fat for energy and to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. It is best to limit trans fats and too much saturated fat.
- Myth: Sugar makes children hyperactive. Careful studies have not found that sugar makes children hyperactive. Too much sugar is still bad for teeth and general health.
- Fact: Washing fruit and vegetables before eating helps remove dirt and germs. Rinse produce under clean running water. This lowers the chance of a stomach infection.
- Myth: Skipping meals is a healthy way to control your weight. Skipping meals can leave you tired and very hungry later. Regular balanced meals are a better habit. If you are worried about your weight, talk to a doctor or dietitian.
- Fact: Milk is a good source of calcium. Milk, yoghurt and cheese are rich in calcium, which builds strong bones and teeth.
- Myth: Brown eggs are healthier than white eggs. Shell colour depends on the breed of hen. Brown and white eggs have very similar nutrition.
Human Body (8 cards)
- Myth: We use only 10% of our brains. Brain scans show that we use almost all of the brain, and many areas are active even during sleep.
- Fact: The heart is a muscle. The heart is made of special cardiac muscle that contracts around 100,000 times a day to pump blood.
- Myth: Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis. The popping sound comes from gas bubbles in the joint fluid. Studies have not found that it causes arthritis.
- Fact: Bones are living tissue that can heal themselves. Bones contain living cells and blood vessels. A broken bone repairs itself when it is held in the right position.
- Myth: Different parts of the tongue detect different tastes. All the basic tastes can be detected on every part of the tongue that has taste buds. The tongue taste map is a myth.
- Fact: Skin is the largest organ of the human body. Skin covers the whole body, protects it from germs and helps control temperature.
- Myth: Hair and nails keep growing after death. The skin dries out and shrinks back, which makes hair and nails look longer.
- Myth: Humans have only five senses. Humans also sense balance, temperature, pain and the position of their body.
Science (8 cards)
- Myth: Heavier objects always fall faster than lighter ones. Without air resistance, all objects fall at the same rate. A hammer and a feather landed together on the Moon in 1971.
- Fact: Sound cannot travel through a vacuum. Sound needs particles to vibrate. In empty space there are none, so there is no sound.
- Myth: Lightning never strikes the same place twice. Lightning often strikes the same place. Tall buildings can be hit many times in a year.
- Fact: Water can exist as a solid, a liquid and a gas. Ice, liquid water and water vapour are the three states of water.
- Myth: Glass is a slow-moving liquid, which is why old windows are thicker at the bottom. Glass is an amorphous solid. Old panes can be uneven because of how they were made, not because the glass flowed.
- Fact: A rainbow forms when sunlight is bent and reflected by water drops. Raindrops split white light into its colours, from red to violet.
- Fact: Plants release oxygen during photosynthesis. Plants use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to make food, and oxygen is released.
- Myth: A metal spoon feels colder than a wooden spoon because it really is colder. Both are at room temperature. Metal feels colder because it carries heat away from your hand faster.
Computer & AI (8 cards)
- Myth: Closing all your apps often makes your phone faster. Phones manage background apps well. Reopening apps from scratch can even use more battery.
- Fact: A strong password is long and hard to guess. Longer passwords that mix words, numbers and symbols are harder to guess. Use a different one for each account.
- Myth: Private or incognito mode makes you invisible on the internet. It only stops your device from saving your history. Websites and your network can still see what you visit.
- Fact: Software updates often fix security problems. Updates close weak points that attackers could use. Install them when they are offered.
- Myth: AI chatbots always tell the truth. Chatbots can make mistakes or invent facts. Check important information in trusted sources.
- Myth: Only Windows computers can get viruses. Any device can be attacked. Keep software updated and avoid suspicious links on every device.
- Fact: Backing up your files protects them if your device is lost or breaks. Keep a second copy on another device or in the cloud.
- Myth: More megapixels always means a better camera. Sensor size, the lens and the software also decide picture quality.
Earth & Space (8 cards)
- Myth: The Great Wall of China can be seen from space with the naked eye. The wall is very long but narrow, and astronauts say it is extremely hard to see with the naked eye from orbit.
- Myth: Seasons happen because the Earth is closer to the Sun in summer. The tilt of the Earth's axis causes the seasons. The Earth is actually closest to the Sun in early January.
- Fact: The Moon always shows the same face to the Earth. The Moon turns once as it orbits the Earth once, so we always see the same side.
- Fact: Antarctica is a desert. A desert is a place with very little rain or snow. Antarctica is the largest desert on Earth.
- Myth: Shooting stars are stars falling to the Earth. They are meteors: small pieces of rock or dust that burn up as they enter the atmosphere.
- Fact: Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level. Everest is the highest. K2, in Pakistan, is the second highest.
- Myth: There is no gravity in space. Astronauts float because they are in free fall around the Earth. Gravity at the space station is about 90% as strong as on the ground.
- Fact: About 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by water. Most of this water is in the oceans.
These cards are for general education. They are not medical advice. Please ask a doctor or registered dietitian about personal health questions.