Superstitions, health warnings, and bits of inherited wisdom, fact-checked and honestly rated. Not "where does this phrase come from," but "is this actually true, and where did people start believing it."
28 tales so far
"The old promise that eating an apple daily will keep you healthy and out of the doctor's care."
Busted"The belief that bulls become aggressive specifically because they see the colour red, as in a bullfighter's cape."
Busted"The claim that eating lots of carrots significantly improves your night vision."
Actually True"The old remedy of eating chicken soup to help you recover from a cold."
Busted"The warning that habitually cracking your knuckles will give you arthritis later in life."
Partly True"The old advice to eat well if you have a cold, but cut back on food if you have a fever."
Actually True"The old claim that eating fish makes you smarter or improves brain function."
Busted"The warning that leaving the house with wet hair, especially in cold weather, will make you sick."
Unprovable Folklore"A sudden, unexplained shiver or goosebumps means someone is walking over the spot where you'll eventually be buried."
Actually True"The old remedy of taking a spoonful of honey, often in warm water or tea, to ease a cough or sore throat."
Unprovable Folklore"A sudden burning or tingling sensation in your ear means someone, somewhere, is talking about you."
Busted"The reassurance that once lightning has struck somewhere, that spot is now safe from being hit again."
Actually True"The old folk practice of pressing mould-covered bread onto a cut or wound to help it heal."
Busted"The warning that waking someone mid-sleepwalk can cause them serious harm, even a heart attack."
Busted"The belief that poinsettia plants are dangerously toxic if eaten, especially by children or pets."
Busted"The warning that reading in poor light will permanently damage your eyes."
Actually True"A red sky at sunset predicts fine weather the next day; a red sky at sunrise warns of bad weather coming."
Unprovable Folklore"The belief that finding and picking up a stray penny brings good luck for the rest of the day."
Busted"The belief that shaving causes hair to regrow darker, coarser, and thicker than before."
Partly True"The old belief that eating something spicy will unblock your nose and clear your sinuses."
Partly True"The old practice of pressing a spider's web against a cut to stop the bleeding and help it heal."
Unprovable Folklore"The childhood superstition and sidewalk game that stepping on a pavement crack will bring your mother harm."
Actually True"The old belief that a period of intense stress can cause your hair to turn grey, sometimes seemingly overnight."
Busted"The warning that swallowed chewing gum takes seven years to pass through your digestive system."
Busted"The warning to wait roughly an hour after eating before swimming, or risk a cramp severe enough to cause you to drown."
Busted"The warning that handling a toad or frog will cause warts to grow on your skin."
Actually True"The old folk remedy of chewing or brewing willow bark to ease pain and bring down a fever."
Busted"The belief that a large share, often cited as 40-45%, of your body's heat escapes through an uncovered head."