6 The historical Buddha had obesity.

The historical Buddha didn’t have obesity. The “chubby Buddha,” or the “Laughing Buddha” as he is called by Westerners, has the name “Budai” and is a folk hero of China from the 10th century.

When people of the West think of Buddha, they don’t think about his history, teachings, and meditation. All they can visualize is the bald, fat, and jolly character called the “Laughing Buddha.” The “true Buddha” is known as “Gautama Buddha” and even “Shakyamuni Buddha.” He is depicted mostly in a posture of deep meditation. The image of him is of a thin person with a peaceful, facial expression.

Now, you might be wondering where the “Laughing Buddha” came from. He is a character that emerged in the 10th century from the folktales of China. The “Laughing Buddha”’s stories revolve around a Ch’an monk who was called “Qieci” or “Ch’i-t’zu” from a place called Fenghua which is apparently now called Zhejiang. Ch’i-t’zu possessed an eccentric character, and people loved him for the small wonders he could do like weather predictions. However, according to Chinese history, the life of Ch’i-t’zu was from 907-923 CE, which means that he lived much later than the “true Buddha.” (source)

7 Light doesn’t attract mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes aren’t actually attracted by light but are attracted to the person under the light source. This is because they are attracted by the carbon dioxide we release into the atmosphere.

You might have often noticed a group of bugs or flies flying around the light of a lamp, mostly around streetlamps. But, we hardly see any mosquitoes along with those other insects and believe that they are not attracted by light. The truth is that light doesn’t attract the mosquitoes, but the person who’s under that light of the lamp and for the obvious reason that they want to drink their blood!

You wouldn’t see mosquitoes much during the daylight because the light from the Sun dehydrates them, and they easily die. However, they don’t avoid other, different types of lights. Mosquitoes make use of the lighting to navigate to places and don’t see it the way we do. Light doesn’t actually attract mosquitoes. They just simply try to figure out their surroundings by using it. They get attracted more towards the carbon dioxide that we humans emit, which is why they tend to find and bite us. (source)

8 Haircare products can “repair” split ends and damaged hair. 

Haircare products do not repair your damaged hair and split ends. They just smooth them down and join the split ends together like a glue which makes them appear smooth and healthy.

Let’s not even start counting the number of haircare products available on the market that claim to “repair” your damaged hair and split ends. There are already many haircare brands out there and new launches now and then, and we get tempted to try out and see what products work the best on our hair to get rid of our split ends. The truth is that no matter how costly the haircare product, it won’t be able to repair your damaged hair, and split ends are not going to disappear suddenly.

These products work on your hair to prevent them from getting damaged further, and that’s it. They are formulated with ingredients that help in smoothing your hair. Your split ends get joined together temporarily like with a glue. Your hair, therefore, feels smooth, shiny, and healthy, but the already damaged ends aren’t actually repaired. The only way you can get rid of them is by regularly trimming them off. (1, 2)

9 Consuming milk or other dairy products tends to increase the production of mucus.

Mucus production is not related to the consumption of milk or other dairy products. They need not be avoided when you have flu or cold.

You might have heard that you shouldn’t consume milk or any other dairy products when you’re suffering from a cold or flu since that would lead to increased mucus production. However, it isn’t scientifically proven that consuming dairy products will increase mucus production in your throat or nasal cavity and worsen the symptoms. Many people reduce the intake of milk when they have a cold, but a clinical trial proved that the intake of milk isn’t associated with the congestion in the respiratory tract.

Many doctors say that milk can thicken your saliva which coats the throat and gives a perception of more mucus production. However, your body doesn’t actually produce more mucus. In fact, consuming milk when you have a cold helps to speed up your recovery since it is essential to consume more fluids when you’re suffering from a cold or flu. (source)

10 The hole in the ozone layer causes global warming.

The ozone layer depletion is a result of the release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the atmosphere. Global warming and depletion of the ozone layer are two different phenomena. 

Global warming has been a concern across the globe for ages, and there are many beliefs for the reason behind it. There are some misconceptions regarding global warming, one of them being that the hole in the ozone layer of the Earth is the cause. However, the truth is the ozone layer in the Earth’s atmosphere protects us from the harmful UV rays of the Sun. When it comes to global warming, it is caused by the ozone layer depletion when chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are released into the atmosphere. These hydrocarbons are released from several devices such as refrigerators, air-conditioners, etc. This leads to the depletion of the ozone layer when released into the atmosphere. It is not the hole in the ozone layer that causes global warming, but the release of the carbon from CFCs and HCFCs. (source)