A penny placed on a train track can derail a train

Sep 11, 2011

FICTION. Before the advent of those souvenir penny-flattening contraptions at tourist attractions, folks used to flatten their pennies the old-fashioned way -- by leaving them on a train track. Although there have been no documented cases of a train being derailed by a penny on the tracks, several people have been flattened themselves while trying to flatten a penny. ... read more

A large percentage of U.S. paper currency is contaminated with traces of cocaine

Sep 8, 2011

TRUTH. You thought this was just an urban legend, didn't you? In fact, a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that 79 percent of the currency tested bore minute traces of cocaine. This does not imply that the majority of our currency has been directly handled by drug dealers or users, however. Cocaine is a very fine powder that is easily transferred from one bill to another, and can spread through ATMs and money-counting machines. ... read more

You can determine the gender of an unborn baby by the way the mother is carrying it

Sep 5, 2011

FICTION. There are an extraordinary number of folk methods for determining the gender of a baby, but none of them are as accurate as an ultrasound and amniocentesis, or the old-fashioned method of just waiting until the baby is born and seeing for yourself. You cannot tell if a pregnant woman is carrying a boy or a girl by examining the shape of her body, swinging a wedding ring over her belly, listening to the baby's heartbeat or mixing her urine with Drano. ... read more

Pregnant women should avoid hot tubs

Sep 4, 2011

TRUTH.While a warm bath can be relaxing and soothing for a pregnant woman, anything that raises her body temperature above 102 degrees should be avoided, including hot tubs and Jacuzzis. It can cause developmental problems for the baby early in the pregnancy, and later on can trigger premature labor. read more

Expectant mothers should avoid eating some kinds of fish

Sep 1, 2011

TRUTH. While fish is an excellent source of nutrients that help with the baby's development, the Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning advising pregnant women to avoid eating certain types of larger fish that may be contaminated with high levels of mercury. Mercury can cause brain damage, developmental problems and learning deficits in the unborn baby. Pregnant women should also avoid any raw seafood, such as sushi and oysters. read more

Using a microwave oven while pregnant can harm the baby

Aug 29, 2011

There is no evidence that the use of microwave ovens pose any danger to an unborn baby. Microwaves don't actually "leak" radiation, and most are designed so they can't operate unless the door is properly shut. Scientific studies conducted with pregnant rats found that they suffered no negative effects from microwave radiation. read more

Pregnant women should avoid cat litter boxes

Aug 28, 2011

TRUTH. While cats themselves pose little danger to a pregnant woman, there is a parasite associated with cat feces that causes an infection known as toxoplasmosis. If the mother contracts it, the infection can harm her unborn child's eyes and brain. Expectant mothers are advised not to change their cat's litter, and to avoid handling sick cats. ... read more

The most-watched television broadcast of all time was the final episode of M*A*S*H

Aug 25, 2011

TRUTH. In terms of sheer numbers, the last several Super Bowls would blow it out of the water, but if you look at the percentage of U.S. households who tuned in, the final episode of M*A*S*H still holds the record as the most-watched television broadcast of all time. When "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" aired on Feb. 28, 1983, more than 50 million households were watching, representing 60 percent of the nation. In contrast, the 2007 Super Bowl was watched by more than 93 million households, but due to the increase in population, that number only represents 42 percent of viewers. In second place ... read more