Hi there! I’m Michael Stevens from the YouTube channel Vsauce, and today we’re diving into some common science illustrations that aren’t quite right. Let’s explore these fascinating topics and learn something new!
You’ve probably seen pictures of atoms that look like tiny solar systems, with electrons orbiting a nucleus like planets around the Sun. However, that’s not entirely accurate. Instead, electrons exist in energy levels, not fixed orbits. Their exact movements are uncertain, and they sometimes behave like waves. Imagine an atom as a “probability cloud” showing where an electron might be found.
We’ve all heard the story of Benjamin Franklin flying a kite in a thunderstorm to discover electricity. But did it really happen that way? Flying a kite in a storm would have been very dangerous. Franklin wrote about a theoretical experiment in 1752, and some historians think he flew his kite into a cloud before a storm to collect electricity safely.
Raindrops aren’t shaped like teardrops as often depicted. Small raindrops are spherical, while larger ones look more like hamburger buns. This shape is due to the balance between surface tension and air pressure.
World maps can be misleading. The Mercator projection is a common map type, but it distorts the size of continents. For example, Greenland appears much larger than it is compared to Africa. Since the Earth is round, flattening it into a map always causes some inaccuracies. A globe is a more accurate representation.
Illustrations of the solar system often misrepresent distances. A true-to-scale model would show vast spaces between planets. The asteroid belt, for instance, is often shown as crowded, but in reality, asteroids are about 5 million kilometers apart on average.
Diagrams of the Moon’s phases can be confusing. Some combine different viewpoints, which might lead to misunderstandings about how we see the Moon and its influence on tides.
New evidence suggests that Velociraptors had more feathers than we used to think. This changes how we imagine these fascinating creatures.
In advertising, gears are often used to symbolize teamwork. However, these illustrations don’t always show how gears actually work together in real systems.
In the past, scientific illustrations were made without the advanced tools we have today. Some are quite amusing, like the 18th-century symbol for phlogiston, a theory that has been debunked. Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings were ahead of his time, but he wasn’t always accurate, especially regarding female anatomy.
Explorers and scientists once relied on observations without cameras, leading to some strange animal illustrations in natural history books.
Ever wondered why we get brain freeze? It happens when something cold touches the roof of your mouth, causing the anterior cerebral artery to constrict. This constriction leads to the pain known as brain freeze.
If you have any mind-blowing questions, feel free to ask! I’m Michael Stevens from Vsauce, and remember to stay curious and awesome!
Using craft materials like clay or styrofoam balls, create a 3D model of an atom. Instead of fixed orbits, show the electrons as a “probability cloud” around the nucleus. This will help you visualize the concept of energy levels and electron behavior.
In groups, perform a safe reenactment of Benjamin Franklin’s kite experiment using a kite, string, and a key. Discuss the historical inaccuracies and what might have actually happened. Reflect on how scientific experiments are documented and interpreted over time.
Using online tools, compare different map projections, such as the Mercator and Peters projections. Identify how the sizes of continents change and discuss why these distortions occur. Create your own map projection that attempts to minimize distortion.
Draw or use software to illustrate the different shapes of raindrops as they fall. Compare your illustrations to the common teardrop shape and explain why raindrops actually look like hamburger buns when they are larger.
Work in teams to create a scale model of the solar system in your schoolyard or classroom. Use measurements to accurately represent the distances between planets and the size of each celestial body. Discuss the challenges of representing space accurately in illustrations.
Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, I am Michael Stevens from the YouTube channel Vsauce, and this is Mental Floss. Today, we’re exploring what an atom looks like. It’s based on the Rutherford model, but electrons don’t move around a nucleus like planets orbit the Sun. It’s challenging to illustrate an atom accurately.
Here’s a more precise model: the circles represent energy levels, not orbits. Electrons with lower energy are closer to the nucleus, but their exact movement is uncertain. Sometimes, they behave like waves. You can think of an atom as a probability cloud indicating where you might find an electron.
Many scientific illustrations you grew up with aren’t entirely accurate. This has been an ongoing issue for centuries. Let’s look at some examples and learn from them.
We’ve seen illustrations like the famous scene from American history involving Benjamin Franklin’s kite experiment. However, it likely didn’t happen as we think. Flying a kite in a thunderstorm would have been dangerous. Franklin wrote about a theoretical experiment in 1752, but some historians believe he actually flew his kite into a cloud before a storm to collect electricity.
Raindrops also don’t look like what you might expect. Small raindrops are spherical, while larger ones resemble hamburger buns due to the balance between surface tension and air pressure.
Now, let’s discuss world maps. You’ve likely seen many over the years, but they can never be entirely accurate. The Mercator projection is the most common, but it distorts sizes—Greenland is not the same size as Africa. Translating the Earth’s curved surface into a flat map is challenging, and there will always be inaccuracies. My advice? Consider getting a globe.
When it comes to space illustrations, scale is difficult to convey. For example, a typical map of the solar system can be misleading. A true-to-scale model would show vast distances between planets. The asteroid belt is often depicted as crowded, but the average distance between asteroids is about 5 million kilometers.
Regarding the Moon, illustrations of its phases can be inaccurate. Some diagrams combine different viewpoints, which can lead to confusion about how we perceive the Moon and its effects on tides.
As for dinosaurs, new evidence suggests that Velociraptors likely had more feathers than previously thought.
Science illustrations can also be misleading in advertising. For instance, marketers often use gears to symbolize teamwork, but they don’t always depict functional systems accurately.
It’s important to recognize that past scientific illustrations were created without the advanced tools we have today. Some of them are quite amusing. For example, the widely recognized 18th-century symbol for phlogiston represents a theory that has since been debunked.
Leonardo da Vinci’s scientific illustrations were ahead of his time, but he was not entirely accurate regarding female anatomy.
Many inaccurate illustrations come from the animal kingdom, as explorers and scientists relied on observations without cameras. This led to some bizarre representations in natural history books.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss on YouTube! Today’s question comes from a viewer who asked why we get brain freeze. It has to do with the anterior cerebral artery; when the roof of your mouth encounters something cold, the artery constricts, causing the pain known as brain freeze.
If you have a mind-blowing question, leave it in the comments, and we’ll pick one to answer next week. I’m Michael Stevens from Vsauce, and as always, thanks for watching, and don’t forget to be awesome!
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This version maintains the core content while removing any informal language or potentially sensitive references.
Atom – The smallest unit of a chemical element that retains its chemical properties, consisting of a nucleus surrounded by electrons. – Scientists study atoms to understand the basic building blocks of matter.
Electrons – Negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. – Electrons play a crucial role in forming chemical bonds between atoms.
Electricity – A form of energy resulting from the existence of charged particles such as electrons or protons. – We use electricity to power our homes and electronic devices.
Raindrops – Small droplets of water that fall from clouds during rain. – Scientists study raindrops to understand weather patterns and precipitation.
Maps – Visual representations of an area showing physical features, often used in geography and science to study the Earth’s surface. – Maps help scientists track changes in the environment over time.
Solar – Relating to or derived from the sun, especially in terms of energy. – Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, providing a renewable energy source.
Moon – The natural satellite of the Earth, visible by reflected light from the sun. – The phases of the moon are caused by its position relative to the Earth and the sun.
Velociraptor – A small, carnivorous dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. – Paleontologists study velociraptor fossils to learn more about dinosaur behavior and evolution.
Illustrations – Visual representations or diagrams used to explain scientific concepts or data. – Illustrations in textbooks help students understand complex scientific ideas.
Freeze – The process of a liquid turning into a solid due to a decrease in temperature. – When water reaches 0 degrees Celsius, it will freeze and become ice.
