“It ain’t what you don’t know that hurts you; it’s what you know that ain’t so.”
— Will Rogers

This week’s issue of the British Medical Journal has a fun article analyzing seven popular medical myths that even some physicians believe.  The article was covered in the popular press including in this Yahoo News article and in this article in Newsweek.

The myths are:

• People should drink at least eight glasses of water a day
• We use only 10% of our brains
• Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death
• Shaving hair causes it to grow back faster, darker, or coarser
• Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight
• Eating turkey makes people especially drowsy
• Mobile phones create considerable electromagnetic interference in hospitals.

Take a look at the articles if you’re interested in the details.

(Thanks to Timo K. and Linda T. for sending me links to the articles.)

Tangential Miscellany:

Have a happy and healthy 2008!