Common
biological misconceptions |
We
are looking to assemble a list of common biological misconceptions.
If you have some, send them
to us! Check out the Other sites of
interest: A
bibliography of biological misconceptions (March 2007)
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newest
additions
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All forms of the bacteria (and specifically the bacterium Escherichia coli or E. coli) cause disease. - supplied by Darron Spencer |
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Evolution has never been observed. - Talk.Origins Archive |
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Oxygen combines with sugar to produce water and carbon dioxide - supplied by Bob Leamnson |
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Only meat, fish, and eggs have protein - supplied by Bob Leamnson |
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Evolution (life) violates the 2nd law of thermodynamics. - Talk.Origins Archive |
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Enzymes are killed or destroyed by heating - supplied by Dip Din-Yan |
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The optimum temperature for enzyme activity is 37°C - supplied by Dip Din-Yan |
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Respiration and breathing are the same thing - supplied by Dip Din-Yan |
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In a particular experiment, what is the control and what is the experiment - supplied by Dip Din-Yan |
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When lemmings overpopulate, they commit suicide by running by the millions over cliffs into the ocean to drown. - Common legend |
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The purpose of genetic counseling is to direct people’s reproductive behavior - supplied by Myra I. Roche |
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Genetically modified crops are not safe. - supplied byChannapatna S. Prakash |
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Dominant alleles will take over a population, while deleterious alleles will be eliminated quickly - supplied by Alan C. Christensen |
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The most abundant phenotype in a population represents the dominant trait - supplied by Alan C. Christensen |
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Ingestion of transgenic DNA is harmful to humans or animals. - ACS web site |
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Genetically modified crops are more ecologically harmful than organic crops - supplied by Jonathon Rauch. |
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Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not needed to "feed the world" - supplied by Roger Morton |
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A process based on random mutations cannot lead to highly organized structures or novel functions.- common among 'intelligent design' advocates. |
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Only GM foods have DNA - supplied by Stephen Wylie. |
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Organically grown food is more nutritious. - supplied by Stephen Wylie |
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We could feed the world more effectively if we grew only organic crops- supplied by Stephen Wylie |
new |
30 September 2003 |
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Photorespiration is breathing in plants. - supplied by Gail Dickinson |
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Anaerobic respiration is breathing without air.- supplied by Gail Dickinson |
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Wood (plant mass) comes from the water and minerals that plants take in. - supplied by Gail Dickinson |
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Toxic is toxic, no matter what the dose. - supplied by Michael Robin |
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Vaccinating your children will make them sick.- supplied by Michael Robin |
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The dangers posed by the use of pesticides are much greater than the dangers posed by the 'natural' contaminants of organic foods. - from Craig Marxsen's review of Thomas DeGregori's book "Bountiful Harvest: Technology, Food, Safety and the Environment". |
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Cell walls are the same as plasma membranes, therefore membranes are solid.- supplied by Merri Lynn Casem |