myth busting

[asm206]

Many of the boys in my troop are big fans of the show mythbusters.

 

Since we can always use some new meetings ideas does anyone know any BSA or outdoor myths the boys can bust durring a troop meeting or campout?

[packsaddle]

Myth: an ice tray filled with hot water will freeze more quickly than an ice tray filled with cold water.

This one was popular a long time ago. I have no idea how it was started but I've met persons who were absolutely convinced.

 

Here's another: trees grow in height from the base and not at the tips of the branches.

(walk under any fences lately?)

I've heard this one before as well.

 

I'm not sure how to bust it for a meeting but there's a great myth about daddy longlegs:

They are the most poisonous spider on earth but their fangs are too small to inject their powerful venom.

Truth: They aren't spiders (they're a related group called 'harvestmen'). They don't have fangs or poison.

This one is fairly common...I've heard it taught in school.

 

In the realm of biting or stinging invertebrates and other animals of many kinds, there are many myths but I'm not sure how you could bust them in a meeting.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[GernBlansten]

Nothing holds an 8yr olds attention like watching water freeze.

 

How about the Mentos in the diet Coke myth?

[epalmer84]

Myth: If the US Flag touches the ground, you must burn it.

 

Have your Scouts read the US Flag Code and see if they can find any such statement. Discuss parts of the code that might be conflated to produce this myth.

 

Ed

[LongHaul]

The hot water /cold water myth is a misunderstanding concerning frozen water pipes in a home. The hot water pipe near an outside wall will freeze before a cold water pipe right next to it. Has to do with the particles in the water having been broken down during heating and providing a medium for ice crystals to form.

 

Aftert writing the above I googled "hot water freezes first" just to be sure and found this! http://physicsweb.org/articles/world/19/4/4/1#PWdoe3_04-06

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

Go Figure!

 

Other myths concern boiling eggs in a paper cup and cooking bacon and eggs in a paper bag people will say it can't be done but it can if you know how.

 

LongHaul

 

[Trevorum]

I recall one survival campout a few years ago. Cooking rules: no matches, no metal. Once the fires got going (not all that hard, actually) we witnessed a facscinating variety of cooking techniques. Most memorable was the patrol that boiled water in cardboard milk cartons - directly over the flames. I kid you not.

[GernBlansten]

Survivorman boiled water in his hat with hot rocks. Pretty cool.

[packsaddle]

I hate myself for leading you to young Mpemba. This is an easy experiment but you have to be careful...as those web sites note.

 

Gern, just a fine point but boiling water in a hat...wouldn't that be 'hot'?

 

Instead, how about toads causing warts? Hoop snakes? Pigeon milk? Frog hairs? Hen's teeth?

[ASM915]

Here's two:

 

1) Making fire from ice. It works if you know how.

 

2) What boils faster, a pot of water over the fire or one with a hot rock in it? Take precautions with the rock. It also works with making maple syrup and a lot faster then the boilers.

[scoutldr]

Boiling water in a paper cup directly on the fire is an old trick that will amaze most youngsters. So is cooking an egg or sausage ball in a scooped out orange shell or onion.

[Lisabob]

Yeah this is a great theme for a camp out and should be a lot of fun. Just be careful though. For those who maybe haven't seen it, the mythbusters show is very enjoyable but check out all the safety precautions those guys take! They actually do some pretty dangerous things. The safety factor seems to get lost in the minds of a lot of teen aged boys so be extra sure that they know where the limits are in terms of which myths you seek to bust.

[frank10]

there's always that one hour a week myth...

[CubScoutJo]

That's a great meating idea. I can't think of any that you could actually do right now, so I'm looking forward to others ideas. But along the lines of the flag one, you could have them find the answers to a lot of first aid "myth" (like using butter to treat a burn, etc.)

 

And just for fun, you could throw in the myth of "if you make that face, it'll stick that way" LOL

 

Jo

 

[ASM915]

For those pesky 1st degree and mild 2nd degre burns, nothing stops the sting and burning process faster the egg whites. I'm from the medical field and can vouch for it, use it all the time. Probably the only thing not in the Pharmacy that I would use. But then again my indiginious brothers having cures that aren't well known, and if approached to use one, I probably would.

 

By the way, If a line of Ants on a march suddenly have an object blocking their way, do they really stop, go right over top, or around? Lay some ant food out and see what happens.

[SSScout]

Myth: "Save up a pound of aluminum pop-tops and send them to Coca-Cola/Pepsi/Snapple/((enter drink company of your choice here)) you can buy an hour on a dialysis machine for a poor patient". Suuurrreee.

 

Myth: "Twinkies are made with a preservative so that they never spoil". How long is never??

 

Myth: "If it's on TV, it must be true, it wouldn't be allowed on TV if it wasn't true". Run with that one, boys.

 

Thankyew, thankyewvermuch.