Monthly Archives: September 2013

Though you probably expect a little exaggeration and “best-case-scenario”-ism when viewing advertisements for weight loss products, hair-thickening shampoos and age-reversing skin creams, you may assume that commercials for prescription and over-the-counter drugs contain the truth and nothing but the truth. After all, drug commercials and their content are monitored closely by the Food and Drug Administration, right? Unfortunately, the reality is that most advertisements for both prescription and OTC medications contain at least some misleading information, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Dartmouth College. Advertisements were also found to simply leave out important information regarding the drugs.

People only use about 10% of their brains, right? You’ve probably heard this notion from plenty of trusted sources, perhaps even your high school science teacher. In fact, according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive, about 65% of Americans believe this “fact” – even though it couldn’t be further from the truth. While researchers are not entirely sure where this myth came from, some attribute it to American psychologist William James or even a misquoting of Albert Einstein. In reality, people use virtually 100% of their brains, as proven by brain imaging technology, though not all brain regions are active simultaneously. Over the course of one day, however, you’ll end up using just about every last bit of your gray matter. The survey was sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation, which raises funds for Parkinson’s research.