Facts can and do change as new evidence comes to light—it’s a core part of what science is all about. As we learn more and more about how the world works, we have to update our existing bodies of knowledge.
This does, however, mean that some information that we learned in the classroom can become outdated within our lifetimes, as members of the r/ask online community recently shared in a viral thread. We’ve collected some of these internet users’ insights about what facts have changed since they learned them in school. Scroll down to read what they had to share.
Bored Panda got in touch with the author of the viral thread, redditor u/karatass91. They were kind enough to share a few insights on facts changing over time. You'll find their thoughts as you read on.
#22
Pluto being a planet
TheKiwiQueen, NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute/Alex Parker
Report69points
#23
1970's elementary school - Global Cooling was in process. We would be out of oil by the end of the 80's
69points
#24
Cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis, plus basically everything in history class.
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65points
#26
Earth had 4 oceans.
The 5th ocean plot twist was revealed to me in my late 30s. I didn’t know, guys!!
Could someone please update Gen X when this stuff happens? There should at least be a weekly memo or something. We are all over here failing easy trivia questions because no one told us that there was a 5th damn ocean. 🤣
58points
#28
That breast feeding was a form of contraception
47points
#29
That by 1999 all the landfills would be full and we would have to use the Grand Canyon and valleys for our garbage
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46points
#30
That 98% of our genes are unused, a throwback of evolution.
45points