Humans Only Use 10% of Their Brains, and the Other 90% Is Completely Wasted
A landmark study conducted by experts at the Institute for Brain Stuff confirms what motivational posters have been saying for decades: most of your brain is doing absolutely nothing.
In a study that has since been cited by at least three inspirational Instagram accounts, neuroscientists at an unspecified university determined that the human brain operates at a mere 10% of its capacity at all times. The remaining 90%, researchers hypothesize, is "just sitting there," possibly storing song lyrics, the faces of people you went to elementary school with, and an inexplicable fear of making phone calls.
The study, published in the Journal of Scientific-Sounding Discoveries, was peer-reviewed by a panel of three colleagues who admitted they "didn't really read the whole thing" but said the abstract "seemed reasonable." Critics of the study, including most actual neuroscientists, have raised concerns, but their objections were not included in this article for brevity.
Further research is planned, pending funding, which the team hopes to secure by selling motivational posters featuring their findings.
The Great Wall of China Is Visible from Space
Multiple astronauts have confirmed this with their eyes, which are very good. The wall is very long, and space is very high up, so it stands to reason. No further verification was conducted.
Lightning Never Strikes the Same Place Twice
This is a well-known scientific fact that has been repeated so many times it must be true. The Empire State Building is struck approximately 23 times per year but this is considered an exception and therefore does not count.
You Are More Likely to Be Attacked by a Shark Than Win the Lottery
Statistically, this sounds right. Both involve very large numbers, water in one case, and significant personal consequences in both. A mathematician was not consulted but the sentence has a very mathematical feel to it.
Diamonds Are the Hardest Natural Substance on Earth
This one is actually true. We are including it to establish credibility before the next several facts. Please remember this one when evaluating the rest of the page. Thank you for your trust.
Bananas Are Radioactive
Bananas contain potassium-40, making them technically radioactive. This fact is real but has been included here to make the rest of the page seem more credible by association. Do not eat too many bananas. Or do. We're a website, not a doctor.
Goldfish Have a Three-Second Memory
Goldfish actually have memories lasting months, but this fact has been on the internet since 1998 and at this point we feel it deserves grandfathered credibility. It has appeared in too many classroom posters to be wrong.
Water Can Be Divided Into Hydrogen and Oxygen, Making It Technically a Mixture of Two Gases
The chemical formula H₂O confirms that water is made of hydrogen and oxygen. What happens after that is chemistry and we did not take chemistry past 10th grade. The numbers look correct though.
The Moon Controls the Tides and Also Your Mood, Personality, and Future
Science confirms that the moon creates gravitational pull affecting ocean tides. Astrology extends this to human personalities and destiny, and since both involve the moon, researchers see no reason to distinguish between the two phenomena.
Is Science Real? An Unbiased Look at Both Sides
We asked two people their opinions and have presented the results as a balanced scientific investigation.
The question of whether science is real has long divided opinion. On one hand, science has produced vaccines, smartphones, and the microwave oven. On the other hand, some things that were once considered scientific fact — such as the Earth being flat, the sun revolving around the Earth, and bloodletting as medicine — turned out to be wrong, which raises the uncomfortable question: what if everything is wrong?
To investigate, our team consulted two individuals: a person who "trusts science" and a person who "does their own research." Both were given equal time to share their perspectives, as journalistic standards require treating all viewpoints as equally valid regardless of evidence.
Anti-Science Argument: "I saw a video."
Our panel of judges — consisting of the editor of this article — found both arguments compelling and has declared the debate ongoing. Further research is anticipated but not guaranteed.
Our science team has selected these elements from the periodic table based on how cool their symbols look.