False facts that changed the world

Turning to the history, you will find: doubtful facts were issued for the immutable truth more than once. In fact, there are many theories and scientific "discoveries" that once misled people's minds. Moreover, some of them were not only taken at face value, but also led to irreversible consequences. Here are 9 false facts that once changed the world.

1. Natural resources are inexhaustible

Now travel to the US is by no means a grandiose venture. As far as the eye can see, there are highways and roadside stops for rest. But how did these lands look centuries ago? Herds of buffalo near the reservoirs, thousands of wild birds and dense forests ... Paradise on Earth? Yes, it existed, until one day came from Europe and did not destroy it.

America appeared before the settlers by the edge of unimaginable abundance. Probably, what they saw shocked them so much that they created their own myth: local natural wealth can not be exhausted. People, without hesitation, exterminated beavers, moose, lynx and whole populations of bears. Wild fields and forests were destroyed, the number of bison fell from 60 million to a thousand, and the wandering pigeons died out.

Of course, there were also defenders of nature who fought against the barbarous attitude to the animal and vegetable world. Presumably, this was not easy, because people did not immediately admit their wrongness. One way or another, it was the myth of the inexhaustibility of natural resources that led to the creation of innumerable national parks in the United States.

2. The nature of a person can be determined by appearance

We constantly analyze the personality of a person, based on its external data, whether we are aware of this or not. That's why actors like Jason Statham in the films play the same type of characters. In reality, appearance and character do not have anything in common, and this error is due to the followers of physiognomy.

The science of defining character traits in the face arose in ancient times. Thus, Pythagoras refused to take people as pupils if they looked stupid, and Aristotle considered the broad face a sign of a close mind. Clearly formulated the main provisions of physiognomy in the XVII century Italian doctor Giambattista della Porta, and this is another reason why we now because of the shape of the nose or mouth can be considered a person to snobs or idiots.

However, the greatest harm was caused by the criminalist and psychiatrist Cesare Lombroso in the 19th century. Criminals, the scientist was sure, possess certain external data. Thus, massive jaws and low lyub already could testify to innate criminal inclinations. It is thanks to the theory of Dr. Lombroso in the public consciousness that the monstrous idea that the judge of a man can and should be judged by appearance is finally rooted.

3. Unpleasant odors are the causes of illnesses

Hardly you would want to be in London in the XIX century. In the 1830s, epidemics of typhus, influenza and cholera literally devastated the city. The situation was so horrific that even the upper strata of society began to notice how poor the poor lived. The reason for this was the theory of miasms. According to her, illness and death caused stench, emanating from decomposing organic substances. Of course, this was a delusion, but it had a positive impact on the world as a whole.

Thanks to the miasma theory, sanitary conditions were significantly improved in London. Naturally, this did not happen overnight. Innovations were preceded by events that went down in history as the Great Stench. In the hot summer of 1858, the Thames, which regularly received waste from factories, slaughterhouses and feces, began to unleash an intolerable stench, forcing residents to leave London, and Parliament to make emergency decisions. Soon a new sewerage system was created in the capital, and illnesses and death disappeared from its streets.

The theory of miasma was refuted only in 1892, when the cholera epidemic in Hamburg did not spread to London, despite its still "fragrant" air. Probably, then the public remembered about Dr. John Snow, who in 1854 established that cholera was caused by contaminated drinking water from the Thames.

4. Christian paradise exists on earth

The myth of the Christian kingdom of the presbyter John was born in Europe in 1145, and if you lived in those times, you would also want to be there. According to the legends, in the Christian kingdom there was no crime and need, anger and envy, and the bottom of the rivers was covered with precious stones. However, one problem in paradise still existed: it was surrounded by pagans and savages, and they had no other desire but to plunder it. To find and protect the mythical kingdom, the Europeans set out on countless campaigns in Asia and Africa. Need I say that the search for Christian Shambhala and its besieged king actually led to bloody religious wars?

5. The human body is controlled by four elements

Ancient Greek healers believed that man was created from four elements: blood, mucus, black and yellow bile. Life juices, as they were called, corresponded to the four elements: air, water, earth and fire. Their content in the human body determined the type of his temperament. So, the predominance of yellow bile made him choleric, black - melancholic, mucus - phlegmatic, and blood - sanguine. When the balance between them is violated, the ancient Greeks believed, the person falls ill.

This theory had a special logic, so it is not surprising that it had a strong influence on the medicine of the XIX century. To restore the balance of life juices and recover, people changed their way of life, cleaned the body with enemas and engaged in bloodletting. The last method of treatment was the most dangerous. Being more destructive than the disease itself, he claimed the lives of thousands of people. One of them, presumably, was George Washington. During the bloodletting treatment, which was supposed to alleviate laryngitis and pneumonia, the first American president lost 40% of blood in less than a day and died suddenly.

6. A person can attain eternal life with the help of an elixir

In order to attain immortality, the alchemists have worked for more than one century. Creating a coveted elixir, they mixed various substances, and the fruits of their experiments experienced on themselves, which often became the cause of their death. In 850, an alchemist from the Tang dynasty created an unusual substance from coal, saltpeter and sulfur. Of course, she did not give him eternal life, but she did something equally important. "Elixir of Immortality" burned his house, and also damaged the skin of the hands and face. As it turned out, the alchemist invented a formula for making gunpowder. Thus, he not only failed to achieve immortality, but also created a real killer, because of which subsequent wars became even more bloody.

7. In human eyes there is a fire, allowing to see the surrounding world

Ancient Greek scientists derived a whole theory, trying to explain how the human eyes work. According to her, inside them is a fire, through which people can see. The eyes, the ancient Greeks affirmed, emit light that blends with the daytime and connects the objects of the external world with the soul.

This theory has long been perceived as scientific and has become the basis of superstition about the evil eye - a sight that can bring failure, misfortune and even a natural disaster. It has penetrated almost all cultures and religions, including Islam and Christianity. Wherever you are, whether it's Eastern Europe or Asia, there are amulets and spells everywhere against the evil eye. Incredibly, in the 21st century we continue to defend ourselves. Is it worth to look at each other in this case ?!

8. Increased agricultural activity causes rain

Have you ever seen photographs of the American Midwest of the 20th century? As a rule, they have nothing but dry dusty grounds. They began to appear after the end of the civil war and the return of farmers to a measured rural life.

Between 1865 and 1875, in the Midwest, another myth arose: the more people work, the sooner the rain begins. Everyone spoke about this - from journalists and scientists to politicians. However, continuing to engage in agriculture in drought, farmers not only did not cause rain, but also destroyed the arable layer of the soil. The consequence of the wrong way to cultivate land was the dust storms of the 1930s, and the once fertile land turned into a very unfavorable place for farmers.

9. The North Pole is Eden

Today, with the help of Google Earth, everyone can explore any point on the earth's surface. However, several centuries ago, people did not have such programs and vaguely imagined what the North Pole looks like, for example, and fantasy, as history has shown more than once, is a dangerous thing.

According to the researchers of the 16th century, there was a warm open sea. There was no ice at the North Pole, they believed. After all, it would have melted in the polar days, and massive ice floes could not have formed in the salt water. The journey through the North Pole seemed to the fearless explorers an easy adventure, but the next few centuries they only tried to get to it.

In 1879, the myth of the polar Eden was dispelled. As it turned out, no warm sea exists, and all bright hopes were destroyed after the tragic expedition of George Washington Delong.