---
title: "List of common misconceptions about science, technology, and mathematics"
chunk: 6/16
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_misconceptions_about_science,_technology,_and_mathematics"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:28:18.528573+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

== Chemistry and materials science ==
Himalayan salt does not have lower levels of sodium than conventional table salt.
Glass does not flow at room temperature as a high-viscosity liquid. Although glass shares some molecular properties with liquids, it is a solid at room temperature and begins to flow only at hundreds of degrees above room temperature. Old glass which is thicker at the bottom than at the top comes from the production process, not from slow flow; no such distortion is observed in other glass objects of similar or even greater age.
Diamonds are not formed from highly compressed coal. Almost all commercially mined diamonds were formed in the conditions of extreme heat and pressure about 150 kilometers (93 mi) below the earth's surface. Coal is formed from prehistoric plants buried much closer to the surface, and is unlikely to migrate below 3.2 kilometers (2.0 mi) through geological processes. Most diamonds that have been dated are older than the first land plants, and are therefore older than coal.
Neither "tin" foil nor "tin" cans still use tin as a primary material. Aluminum foil has replaced tin foil in almost all uses since the 20th century; tin cans now primarily use steel or aluminum as their main metal.
There is no special compound added to the water in swimming pools that will reveal the presence of urine and catch those who urinate in the pool.
Although the core of a wooden pencil is commonly referred to as "lead", wooden pencils do not contain the chemical element lead, nor have they ever contained it; "black lead" was formerly a name of graphite, which is commonly used for pencil leads.

== Computing and the Internet ==
The macOS and Linux operating systems are not immune to malware such as trojan horses or computer viruses. Specialized malware designed to attack those systems does exist (see Linux malware). However, the vast majority of viruses are developed for Microsoft Windows due to its larger market share.
The deep web is not primarily full of pornography, illegal drug trade websites, and stolen bank details. This information is primarily found in a small portion of the deep web known as the "dark web". Much of the deep web consists of academic libraries, databases, and anything that is not indexed by normal search engines, including most private email accounts and direct messages.
Private browsing (such as Chrome's "Incognito Mode") does not protect users from being tracked by websites, governments, or one's internet service provider (ISP), nor does it hide one's information when using devices or networks owned or maintained by one's employer, school, or other entity, such as a coffee shop. Such entities can still use information such as IP addresses and user accounts to uniquely identify users. Private browsing also does not provide additional protection against viruses or malware. It is usually only a feature to not record browsing and searching history on the browser.
Submerging a phone in rice after it has suffered from water damage has not been shown to be effective in repairing it. Even if submerging them in a desiccant were more effective than leaving them to dry in open air, common desiccants such as silica gel or cat litter are better than rice.
Mobile phones do not create considerable electromagnetic interference when used in hospitals.
The Apple logo was not inspired by Alan Turing or his death by cyanide-laced apple. Although Turing was found dead with a half-eaten apple near his bed in 1954 and was a key figure in computing history, Apple's logo designer Rob Janoff has repeatedly denied any connection.

== Earth and environmental sciences ==