well-known "facts"

You're hardly alone if you believe that when matadors wave those red capes to make bulls charge at them, it's the bright color that incites their anger. But, according to the American Science Guide, bulls (like other cattle) are red-green colorblind. What actually triggers the bull's anger is the movement of the cape.

Goldfish have a reputation of having bad memories. But it turns out that the idea that these orange aquatic creatures can only remember things for three seconds is a myth. Not only has this false fact been debunked by several studies throughout the years—some research even indicates goldfish could have a memory span of up to five months long.

Many people believe that humans only use 10 percent of their brains; it's even the plot line for the 2014 film Lucy, starring Scarlett Johansson. However, that's nothing but a myth, neurologist Barry Gordon told Scientific American. He says that humans "use virtually every part of the brain" and most of the brain is "active almost all the time."

It turns out our nation's first president wasn't rocking a pair of wooden chompers. The historians at the Washington Library say that while George Washington did suffer from dental problems, his dentures were composed of ivory, gold, lead, and even other human teeth—but never any wood. They believe that this common myth is the result of the ivory becoming stained over time, giving the fake teeth the appearance of wood.

According to History, most accused witches during the Salem Witch Trials of the late 17th century were hanged, while others died in jail waiting for their trials. The myth that they were burned at the stake is most likely due to the fact that during the Medieval witch trials in Europe, it was common practice to execute the accused by savagely setting them on fire.