Facts....or not

[Benny]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_misconceptions

I know it's Wikipedia, but damn some of that is interesting!

[smilodon]

Yep there's quite a few that surprised me. Nice find.


I did know about the plate armour though. When I was a kid we went on a school trip to Carisbrook Castle on the Isle of Wight. We saw a demonstration of medieval stuff and one thing the guide did was dress me (I was the tallest kid in my class) up in a real suit of armour. It was quite easy to move about in and I could actually run as well. Visibility was a bit rubbish though. it did show that people were smaller in olden times as the suit of armour was full size and I was only 13 yrs old. Not sure how tall I was then but probably about 5ft 6ins or so.



Another one I heard recently is that there's actually no such thing as the Bermuda Triangle. The area of ocean within the supposed zone doesn't have any more lost ships and aircraft than any other comparable area of ocean. Shipping insurers don't charge any additional premiums for vessels passing through the area as there is no increased risk. Neither does the US Coastguard recognise any unusual amount of shipping losses. Seems it all began in the 1960's when a hack reporter made up a story titled "The Deadly Bermuda Triangle." It was later discredited as being a load of rubbish. TV programs and books on the subject never seem to ask the obvious question 'how many ships and aircraft actually go missing in the area?'  before launching into various theories about why the thing that isn't happening ..... happens. If they did then they'd very quickly have no TV show or book.

[Jamin]

I bet that's Stephen Frys favorite page.

[TheDvEight]

Great find Learned some new things.