Don't Pee on Your Leg (and other scientific misconceptions)

Margaret and Camden Hanzlick-Burton
  • 4.5 (29)
  • Science
  • Updated Bimonthly

Is it dangerous to wake a sleepwalker? Is it a good idea to pee on your leg after a jellyfish sting? Join biologists Camden and Margaret as they explore and address these scientific misconceptions and many more! With new episodes every two weeks, join the discussion of scientific misconceptions, with the hope of you learning something you didn’t already know about the world! If you have scientific misconceptions that you’d like explained or want to provide feedback to us, please email us at dontpeeonyourleg@gmail.com or message and follow us at instagram.com/dontpeeonyourleg/

  1. Aug 8

    E80 - Milk and Chameleons

    Camden and Margaret discuss what if only mammals produce milk (2:18) and if chameleons camouflage by changing their color (18:30). Camden's citations Lactation – WikipediaCrop milk – WikipediaBiology ExchangeAsk Hank Anything (YouTube series)The Origin and Evolution of Lactation – Journal of Biology Platypus Milk May Help Us Fight Antibiotic Resistance – Australian Geographic10 Animals That Make "Milk" and Aren't Mammals – Discover MagazineInside the Wild Ways Many Creatures Make Milk – Smithsonian Magazine Margaret's citations Chameleons, Facts and Photos – National GeographicChameleons' Craziest Color Changes Aren't for Camouflage – National Geographic (Benji Jones) What We're Consuming Camden: "The Man Who Died Twice" by Richard OsmanMargaret: "Yesteryear" by Caro Claire Burke and "The Long Walk" by Stephen King Have a scientific misconception you'd like us to tackle? Email us at dontpeeonyourleg@gmail.comFind us on Instagram: @DontPeeonYourLeg

  2. Jul 3

    E79 - Bird Eating and Bird Migration

    Margaret and Camden discuss what it really mean to "eat like a bird" (5:20) and if all birds migrate (17:39). Margaret's citations BONUS: Support Knack's Trip to Nationals!Sacramento Audubon SocietyGolden Gate Bird AllianceThe Peregrine FundAmerican Bird ConservancyThe National ZooWhat It's Like to Be a Bird by David Allen SibleyHere's How Much Food Three Different Birds Need to Eat Daily – Audubon Society by Mary McCann Camden's citations What It's Like to Be a Bird by David Allen SibleyAudubon SocietyCornell Lab of OrnithologyThe Nature ConservancyLoudoun Wildlife ConservancyKansas State University What We're Consuming Camden: Mood Machine by Liz PellyMargaret: Widow's Bay on Apple TV Have a scientific misconception you'd like us to tackle? Email us at dontpeeonyourleg@gmail.com Find us on Instagram: @DontPeeonYourLeg

  3. Jun 5

    E78 - Corn and Heat Loss

    Camden and Margaret discuss if all corn is the same (2:43) and whether most of our body heat is really lost from our heads (17:59). Camden's Misconception: Is All Corn the Same?WikipediaNMSU — Specialty CornsSDSU Extension — Indian Corn & PopcornBritannica — Why Do Corn Kernels Pop?Nature Scientific Reports — Sweet Corn Sugary Gene MutationEBSCO Research Starters — Corn EthanolUSDA — Global Demand for Fuel Ethanol Through 2030Scientific American — It's Time to Rethink America's Corn SystemMargaret's Misconception: Is Most of Our Body Heat Really Lost From Our Heads?US Army Survival GuideCleveland Clinic — Body Heat Loss by Dr. Thomas WatersOhio State University BuckMD Blog — Medical Mythbusters by Tina ComstonUniversity of Rochester Medicine Health EncyclopediaUniversity of Utah Health — Debunking Common Winter Health Myths by Dr. Russell VinikBBC Science Focus — The Great Cold Head Myth by Abbie Jordan

  4. May 1

    E77 - Horses and Pregnancy

    Camden and Margaret discuss whether American wild horses are actually native to North America (3:44) and if breastfeeding can really prevent pregnancy (17:23). Camden's Misconception: American wild horses are not native to North America Citations: Animal Welfare Institute — Wild Horses as Native North American WildlifeLive Science — The Surprising History of America's Wild Horses (2008)American Wild Horse Conservation — Scientific Research Confirms Native Ancestry (2020)Scientific American — The Secret Lives of Horses (2015)Smithsonian National Zoo — Przewalski's HorseIn Defense of Animals — Wild Horses are Native to North AmericaMargaret's Misconception: Breastfeeding prevents pregnancy Citations: Harvard Medical School — "Can Breastfeeding Really Prevent Pregnancy?" by Dr. Rachel A. BlakeCleveland Clinic — "Yes, You Can Get Pregnant While Breastfeeding" (2024)

  5. Apr 6

    E76 - Bird Bones and the Mind's Eye

    Camden, Margaret, and guest David discuss if bird bones are hollow so birds can fly (6:48) and whether everyone sees things the same way in their mind (22:09). Camden's Misconception: Bird bones are hollow so birds can fly Citations: "What If? 2" by Randall MunroeThe Science of Birds Podcast — "How Birds Breathe""Bone Density and the Lightweight Skeletons of Birds" by Elizabeth Dumont, UMass AmherstDiscovery — "Why Do Birds Have Hollow Bones?"Montana Natural History Center — "Avian Adaptations"Bird Spot — "How Birds' Skeletons Evolved For Flight"Wilderness Awareness School — "Bird Skeletons and Avian Physiology"David's Misconception: We all see things the same way in our minds Citations: Zeman et al. (2015) — "Lives Without Imagery: Congenital Aphantasia." CortexZeman (2024) — "Aphantasia and Hyperphantasia: Exploring Imagery Vividness Extremes." Trends in Cognitive SciencesDance, Ipser & Simner (2022) — "The Prevalence of Aphantasia in the General Population." Consciousness and CognitionMarks (1973) — Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ). British Journal of PsychologyKay et al. (2022) — "The Pupillary Light Response as a Physiological Index of Aphantasia." eLifePearson (2019) — "The Human Imagination: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Visual Mental Imagery." Nature Reviews NeuroscienceMilton et al. (2021) — "Behavioral and Neural Signatures of Visual Imagery Vividness Extremes." Cerebral Cortex CommunicationsBainbridge et al. (2021) — "Quantifying Aphantasia Through Drawing." CortexWicken et al. (2021) — "The Critical Role of Mental Imagery in Human Emotion." Proceedings of the Royal Society B

  6. Mar 6

    E75 - Vampire Bats and Soap

    Camden and Margaret discuss whether vampire bats actually suck blood and whether antibacterial soap is better for you than regular soap.

  7. Feb 6

    E74 - Asteroids and Concussions

    Camden and Margaret discuss if asteroids really look like cratered potatoes (2:52) and whether you have to lose consciousness to have a concussion (11:49). Camden's Misconception: Asteroids look like little potatoes with craters Citations: "What If? 2" by Randall MunroeNASA Space Place - AsteroidsScientific AmericanCalTech Cool CosmosMargaret's Misconception: As long as you're conscious, it's not a concussion Citations: Concussion Recognition Tool from the Concussion in Sport GroupNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and StrokeCDC - TBI Data 2024Mayo Clinic - Concussions"Concussion" by Nitin Agarwal, Rut Thakkar, Khoi Than for the American Association of Neurological SurgeonsWhat We're Consuming: Camden: "The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard OsmanMargaret: "The Dog's Best Friend Game" board gameFollow us on Instagram: @DontPeeonYourLeg Email us your misconceptions: dontpeeonyourleg@gmail.com

  8. Jan 2

    E73 - Dust and Ears

    Camden and Margaret discuss if household dust is mostly just your dead skin floating around (2:45) and whether our ears keep getting bigger our entire lives (16:05). Camden's Misconception: Dust is mostly dead skin Citations: "What If? 2" by Randall Munroe"Is Dust Mostly Dead Skin?" by Veritasium"Making an epidermis" by Maranke Koster, University of Colorado DenverMargaret's Misconception: Our ears keep getting bigger our entire lives Citations: Cleveland Clinic - Cartilage"Do Your Nose and Ears Really Grow with Age?" by Justin Chupungco"Why do old men have big ears?" by James Heathcote"Ear size as a predictor of chronological age" by R Tan, V Osman, G Tan"Human ears grow throughout the entire lifetime" by Niemitz, Nibbrig, and ZacherToday I Found Out"Truth or Myth: Our Nose and our Ears Never Stop Growing" by Michael HinckWhat We're Consuming: Camden: "Project Hail Mary" by Andy WeirMargaret: BooksFollow us on Instagram: @DontPeeonYourLeg Email us your misconceptions: dontpeeonyourleg@gmail.com

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Is it dangerous to wake a sleepwalker? Is it a good idea to pee on your leg after a jellyfish sting? Join biologists Camden and Margaret as they explore and address these scientific misconceptions and many more! With new episodes every two weeks, join the discussion of scientific misconceptions, with the hope of you learning something you didn’t already know about the world! If you have scientific misconceptions that you’d like explained or want to provide feedback to us, please email us at dontpeeonyourleg@gmail.com or message and follow us at instagram.com/dontpeeonyourleg/

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