Myth - Debunk It

Are Diamonds really rare and valuable? Diamonds are our most popular gemstone . That hasn’t always been the case. It was only in the last century that diamonds became readily available. Prior to that, rubies and sapphires were the most popular gems, especially for engagement rings. All gem grade materials are rare, composing just a tiny fraction of the earth. However, among gems, diamonds are actually the most common. If you doubt this ask yourself; “How many women do you know that do not own at least one diamond?” Now ask the same question about other gems. And the common belief that diamonds are inherently valuable? It’s just not true . In fact, reselling a diamond for top dollar isn’t all that easy. Once you leave the jewelry shop after buying a diamond, it loses 50% of its value. It’s what economists call a thin market. One diamond cartel, De Beers, has artificially driven up the price of diamonds for decades. A 1920s advertising campaign set a cultural ex...

Does urine help relieving pain from a jellyfish sting? The widespread belief that urine is the best cure for a jellyfish sting is probably the best known from an episode of Friends in which Chandler has to urinate on Monica’s leg after she is stung. But is that really a thing? Jellyfish release stingers which attach to the body part in contact. These stingers contain venom which is highly alkaline and can only be neutralized by an acid. The sting affects the nerves of the skin – causing pain, burning, and tingling. Urine is only slightly acidic, which is not enough to neutralize the alkaline venom. Some studies even say that urine causes the stingers to release more venom. One of the ways to treat a sting is to get out of the water to avoid getting stung again. Once out, slowly pouring seawater over the sting will help ease the pain. Pouring vinegar instead of sea water may be better as it neutralizes the venom in the sting. Avoid using fresh water or solven...

How many states does matter exist in? From Elementary school we keep learning about 3 states of matter, solids, liquids and gasses. Hence, most of us assume that these are the only ones. Things have changed. There is certain proof that there are more than 3 states of mater, of which, most prominent is plasma. Plasma is not a common state of matter here on Earth, but may be the most common state of matter in the universe. The main difference in the structures of each state is in the densities of the particles. Many other states are known to exist only in extreme situations, such as Bose–Einstein condensates, neutron-degenerate matter and quark-gluon plasma, which occur in situations of extreme cold, extreme density and extremely high-energy color-charged matter respectively. Some other states are believed to be possible but remain theoretical for now. You can click on the last link in the sources for the whole list of different states. Our textbooks con...