Ian Black

Formally trained science communicator and biologist. Follow for zany myth busting tweets every Monday!

[I Hate Crows @H8Crows]

Crows will misinterpret data thinking correlation is causation!

[Lab Manager @LabManager]

In our latest #LabLessOrdinary piece, @IanRGBlack interviews members of the National Polymer Innovation Center. #PolymerScience #MaterialScience https://t.co/rDCjcRHtlE

[Today's Clinical Lab @todaysclinical]

New findings support the idea that future, additional doses may be needed to maintain protection against #COVID19 #Variants. #infectiousDisease @IanRGBlack https://t.co/amgNH3qWYH

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

There are four natural processes that lead to the formation of diamond. It is unlikely that coal is involved in any of these. In fact, most diamonds are older than the existence of coal (King). #mythbustingmonday #diamonds

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

Young children are just buck wild regardless of the amount of sugar in their diet. It’s a myth that sugar causes hyperactivity in kids (Cormier, 2007). So, eat a lot of chocolate to celebrate Jesus re-spawning or whatever. #Mythbustingmonday #Easter

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

The height of a person mostly depends on their genes. It is a myth that coffee stunts your growth (Gavin M., 2018). Coffee can cause other problems if you don’t drink it in moderation though…is what I would say if I was lame! #Mythbustingmonday #Coffee

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

There is a fungus that compels its ant hosts to climb a tree, bite onto a nearby leaf, and stop moving forever (Scientific America, 2019). The zombie ant fungus is strictly an insect problem so we are safe...happy 25th! #Mythbustingmonday #ResidentEvil25thAnniversary

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

If you cut an earthworm in two the section that has a head may survive, but the other half just lays there and gives up (Castro J., 2013). Worm butts are quitters. #Mythbustingmonday #earthworms #animalfacts

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

Like all cattle, bulls are colour-blind to red. Suggesting that it’s the motion of the matador’s cape, rather than the colour, that enrages the bull (Borel, 2012). No colour is safe! A bull could get you anytime, anywhere! #mythbustingmonday #animalfacts

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

Glass is an amorphous solid. A state between liquid and solid. Any nonsense about glass being a super-cooled liquid is exactly that, nonsense (Scientific America, 2007). #Mythbustingmonday #chemistryfordays

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

Rice is harmless to birds when ingested. So you can pelt the bride and groom with wedding rice, which we all agree is totally normal and not weird at all, guilt free! (Snopes, 2000) #mythbustingmonday #birds #rice

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

Dogs have around the same number of bacteria in their mouth as humans. The myth that dogs have cleaner mouths than us is false. However, the bacteria in a dog’s mouth often won’t harm humans and vice versa (Burke, 2021). #mythbustingmonday #dogs

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

The echo made from a duck quacking is very difficult to hear, but it does exist (Cox, 1999). We can finally put this fowl myth to rest…I’ll see myself out. #mythbustingmonday #Ducks

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

A goldfish has a memory span of up to 5 months. To be fair, goldfish do look perpetually confused, propagating the myth of a 3 second memory (D’souza, 2018). #Mythbustingmonday #Goldfish #Memory

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

Lightning can strike the same place more than once. Hell, its struck the same person more than once before. Lightning’s a dick. #Mythbustingmonday #weather #lightning

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

The typical response an elephant has towards a mouse is one of indifference. The myth of elephants’ fear of mice could stem from elephants not liking when smaller animals vanish from sight quickly (Melina, 2016). #Mythbustingmonday #Elephants #wildlife

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

While there is still debate around the total number, humans have more than 5 senses. These include being able to sense temperature or your balance, in addition to touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing (Francis, 2020). #Mythbustingmonday #senses

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

The largest living organism is a Honey Mushroom, 3.8 km across (BBC, 2014). That’s larger than Blue Whales, Redwood trees, and my love of Kraft Dinner. #Mythbustingmonday #Fungus

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

Cancer. Sharks can get it (Main D., 2013). Anyone who tells you different is probably a shark in a trench coat trying to trick you! #mythbustingmonday #Sharks #Biology

[Ian Black @IanRGBlack]

Toilet flushes are influenced by the toilet design, the plumbing, and the water pressure. It is false that the direction of a flush changes depending on the hemisphere as the volume of water is too small to be impacted by the Coriolis effect (Britannica, 2020). #mythbustingmonday