What are some rumors about animals?

Rumor 1: Fish only have a memory of 7 seconds

According to relevant research, fish can retain memories for at least several months. This rumor was created by some unscrupulous pet stores to prove that it is reasonable to put goldfish in a small goldfish tank. Because this way the goldfish will not feel bored, and each circle is a new experience. These unscrupulous pet stores will also promote another rumor: goldfish have an extremely short lifespan. In fact, goldfish can survive for 25 years in the wild, with the highest record being 43 years. By promoting the short lifespan of goldfish, people feel at ease about raising goldfish that die one after another.

Rumor 2: Elephants are afraid of mice

It is said that elephants are afraid of mice because mice can get into the elephants' noses or ears. There is even a rule in the game of chess that mice can defeat elephants. CCTV once put an elephant and Lao Zhong together in a program. As a result, the elephant was not afraid of mice, but stepped on the mouse to death. In field surveys, mice have always been observed to kill elephants.

Rumor 3: The stripes on zebras are to confuse predators

Although the black and white stripes of zebras look very conspicuous, people still choose to believe the explanation of "confusing predators". However, this explanation has flaws: lions and hyenas have worse eyesight than humans. They can smell or hear prey before they are close enough to distinguish the stripes. At present, there is no consensus on the role of zebra stripes. Some people think that zebra stripes are like barcodes and are unique identity marks. Mainstream scientists believe that the role of stripes is to prevent bites. Studies have found that the more conducive the environment is to the survival of horseflies, the more obvious the stripes are. Black and white stripes can also interfere with insects' perception of light, making it difficult for insects to land normally.

Rumor 4: Lemmings will commit suicide

As early as the end of the 19th century, rumors of lemming suicide were circulating in the West. Disney's Oscar-winning documentary "White Wilderness" greatly promoted the spread of rumors. In order to shoot the scene of lemmings committing mass suicide, the production team drove the lemmings off the cliff, and the chicken soup of lemming suicide eventually harmed China. A typical example is the text "The Mystery of Lemmings", which says that after over-breeding, lemmings will commit suicide by seducing natural enemies or jumping into the sea. Although lemming suicide is a widely circulated rumor, it is not created out of thin air. Since lemmings can migrate and swim, they may cross waters during migration. If the water is too wide, the lemmings will be exhausted on the waterway, which will cause the death of the lemmings, but this is by no means the subjective will of the lemmings to commit suicide.

Rumor 5: Mayflies are born in the morning and die in the evening

In ancient China, mayflies were regarded as a symbol of short life. The Huainanzi says: Mayflies are born in the morning and die in the evening, and they enjoy themselves to the fullest. However, the life of mayflies has four stages: egg, larva, sub-adult and adult. The larval stage lasts for 1-3 years, while the adult stage is short, and most people only see the adult stage for a few hours to a few days, so the saying "Mayflies are born in the morning and die in the evening" is not rigorous. Since the mouthparts of the adult mayfly are degenerate and cannot eat, the adult mayfly will die quickly after mating and laying eggs.

Rumor 6: You can pretend to be dead when you encounter a bear

The origin of the life trick of "playing dead when encountering a bear" is the fable "The Bear and Two Travelers". In the Chinese textbook of primary school, there is a text called "What Did the Bear Say?" The content of the text is that Shi Guang and Chen Fang are good friends. They encountered a bear in the mountains. In a critical moment, Shi Guang left Chen Fang and turned to climb up the big tree next to him. Chen Fang could not climb a tree, but he knew that bears would not eat dead people, so he lay on the ground and pretended to be dead. The bear came over and found that Chen Fang was motionless. Thinking that he was a dead person, he left. Shi Guang saw that the bear had left, climbed down the tree and asked Chen Fang: "What did the bear just say to you?" Chen Fang said: "Only in the most dangerous moment can you see who is a true friend. "However, if they met a bear in reality, these two people might have died. Bears eat dead animals. So lying on the ground and pretending to be dead is useless. Bears can climb trees faster than people, so climbing trees is useless. If you encounter a bear, the best way is to stay calm, don't run or shout. Face it, go backwards slowly with the wind.

Rumor 7: Eagles can be reborn after self-injury

"The Rebirth of the Eagle" is a chicken soup article that originated abroad and is widely circulated in China. In this story, when an eagle is 40 years old, its claws have degenerated, its wings are heavy, and its beak is blunt and bent. If it chooses to be reborn, it needs to knock off its beak, pull out its nails, and pluck out its feathers. Five months later, new feathers will grow, and the eagle can live out the remaining 30 years. However, this chicken soup article is wrong from beginning to end. The average lifespan of an eagle is 30 years, but in the chicken soup article, it can live for 70 years. The beak and nails of an eagle are similar to human nails and will continue to grow, but in the chicken soup article, they will degenerate. The eagle's feathers will be automatically renewed, but in the chicken soup article, the eagle needs to pluck them manually. The eagle will die if it does not eat for five months, but in the chicken soup article, it can survive as long as it is determined.

Rumor 8: When in danger, ostriches bury their heads in the sand

It is said that when an ostrich encounters danger, it will bury its head in the soil to escape reality. However, when a real ostrich encounters danger, it can run at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour. Even if it does not run, the ostrich's two feet have great power, enough to kill an adult male lion or a human. Ostriches have some reasons to lower their heads, such as eating sand and stones to aid digestion. If it is seen when it is lowered, it is easy to be misunderstood. Although more and more people know that this is a rumor, terms such as "ostrich effect", "ostrich mentality" and "ostrich policy" are still rampant.

Rumor 9: Catfish effect

The expression of the catfish effect is that in Norway, the lively sardines are several times more expensive than frozen. For a long time, only one captain can bring the fresh sardines ashore. After the captain dies, people can find that the captain's skills are put on a catfish in the breeding pool. The weird thing is that although the story takes place in Norway, it cannot be found in any country except China. >

Rumor 10: Crocodiles and Toothpick Birds

It is said that there is rotten meat in the mouth of crocodiles, which will affect their teeth. The toothpick bird will help the crocodile pick its teeth, which not only fills its stomach but also helps the crocodile. But the problem is that the crocodile's teeth are too far apart to be stuffed with food, so there is no symbiotic relationship between the crocodile and the toothpick bird.

The above 10 animal rumors are just the tip of the iceberg. Regardless of whether the stories about animals are true or not, people always try to draw some kind of philosophy from animals, but they must also be based on facts!

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