Random Facts About Animals That You Have Completely Wrong Thanks To Movies And TV (12 items)

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  (#3) Lemming

  • Organism Classification

  The Myth: Lemmings garnered a decades-old reputation for being suicidal. The Disney documentary White Wilderness was responsible for popularizing the concept, suggesting that the small rodents might kill themselves during migration events.

  The Truth: The animals never exhibited any tendencies to commit suicide. In fact, the type of lemmings shown in the Disney film don’t even migrate. Allegedly, the scenes were faked. The small animals were driven into the water; they didn't voluntarily choose their deaths. 
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  (#4) Dogs Are Colorblind

  The Myth: People believed dogs were colorblind for decades, and movies didn't help the misconception. In Cats & Dogs, the dogs are unable to disarm a bomb despite knowing the correct procedure because they cannot tell which wire is which. It's usually suggested that dogs only see in black and white.

  The Truth: Although dogs are not quite as capable as humans at seeing color, they definitely do not see in black and white. Canines distinguish between different colors to some degree. However, they only have two different types of cones that detect color, so it's difficult for them to see reds and greens.
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  (#5) Cockroach

  • Order

  The Myth: Supposedly, if a nuclear explosion were to occur, cockroaches would be the only surviving creatures. While every other living thing would perish from radiation, these bugs would endure. Animated movie classic Wall-E affirms this theory; the only living animals in the post-apocalyptic world are cockroaches. 

  The Truth: In reality, though, cockroaches would not survive a nuclear blast. Yes, they're strong. However, their distinctive biological structure isn't strong enough to withstand extremely high doses of radiation. Additionally, the force of any explosion would render them defenseless. 
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  (#9) St. Bernard

  • Animal breed

  The Myth: Supposedly, monks in Switzerland used St. Bernard dogs at the Great Saint Bernard Hospice to carry brandy to people trapped on the snowy mountains. The doggos in productions like Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Adventures of Topper carry alcohol in barrels hung around their necks.

  The Truth: While monks did use St. Bernard dogs to help rescue snowed-in travelers, the holy brethren never affixed brandy to their canine friends. Edwin Landseer painted a picture depicting the dogs with barrels around their necks, possibly starting the whole myth.

  Also, drinking brandy while lodged in the snow would be incredibly dangerous. The alcohol would spread heat to the vital organs, increasing chances of hypothermia. 
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  (#8) Sleeping Cows Can Be Tipped

  The Myth: Movies suggest that people in rural areas love to go out at night and tip over sleeping cows. In theory, cow-tipping is a relatively simple task because the animals are supposedly rather stupid. Plus, they stand while sleeping, making them easy targets for characters from Tommy Boy or the Heathers film.

  The Truth: Cow tipping is nearly impossible, though. The dairy-producing animals are incredibly strong and heavy. It would take the strength of at least six people to achieve such a feat. There are also other problems with the myth. Cows do not sleep standing up, and they are perfectly capable of defending themselves. Bovines can seriously injure or kill human predators.
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  (#11) Ostrich

  • Animal

  The Myth: One of the most common animal stereotypes in movies like Dumbo is that ostriches bury their heads in the sand when facing real or imagined danger. 

  The Truth: Animals usually do one of two things when dealing with a threat. They either run away or face the danger and attempt to fight. Ostriches are no different, and their large sizes frighten off potential attackers. Ostriches are also able to outrun many foes. Sometimes they lie down to blend in with their surroundings, but the large birds never plunge into the ground. They would become completely defenseless and possibly suffocate if they did so.

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