ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Scientific misconceptions

Okay kiddo, do you ever hear people say things like "you only use 10% of your brain" or "the Earth is flat"? These are examples of scientific misconceptions, which means people believe things that are not true according to science.

Sometimes, people believe these things just because they heard them from someone else, but other times it's because it seems to make sense to them or they weren't taught the correct information. However, it's important to remember that just because something seems believable or makes sense, it doesn't mean it's true.

Scientists do a lot of research and testing to figure out how things work in the world. When they find something that's true, they call it a scientific fact. For example, we know for a fact that the Earth is round and that we use all parts of our brain, not just 10%.

Sometimes, misconceptions can be harmful. For example, if someone believes that vaccines are dangerous and don't work, they might not get vaccinated and could get sick or spread diseases to others. That's why it's important to always check our facts and learn from reliable sources like scientists and teachers.