Science Versus Myth

Are vampires real? What is an out-of-body experience? Are crop circles proof that aliens exist? HowStuffWorks explores what is real and what is urban legend with this collection of Science Versus Myth articles.

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A surprising percentage of Americans believe that Big Pharma is hiding the cure for cancer because there's a lot of money to be made treating the disease. Experts explain why this isn't true.

By Dave Roos

We've yet to find intelligent life outside of planet Earth. But instead of space, should we be looking right here but in other dimensions?

By Diana Brown

Tourists may not be the only ones to enjoy the beauty of the famous palace.

By Diana Brown

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Would they be a mating display? A fierce weapon to defend against lions?

By Robert Lamb

Previously undiscovered geoglyphs found in Peru were invisible from the ground and too faint and sprawling to be picked up by space satellites. But not drones.

By Laurie L. Dove

A disturbing noise, somewhere between a window-rattling bass and a brain-numbing deep thrum has bugged the heck out of residents in the city of Windsor, Ontario, Canada for years, and it's called the Windsor Hum.

By John Donovan

Theories surrounding the source of the Tunguska blast that rocked the Siberian region in 1908 abound. But the exact cause is still a mystery.

By Diana Brown

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CERN's work has been groundbreaking to say the least, but conspiracy theories run rampant about the potential disasters it could cause, too.

By Diana Brown

There's no doubt people are seeing lights. But are they really spirits of ghosts — or even aliens — or can these unusual lights be clarified with a simple explanation?

By Diana Brown

Are strange skeletons unearthed across the globe evidence that we're not alone, or are they simply more myths and legends that are bound to be debunked?

By Diana Brown

These booming sounds are part of a mysterious phenomenon that's occurred for years around the U.S. and elsewhere in the world.

By Patrick J. Kiger

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Some of us really hope the yeti is a giant snow ape, but new research finds it's just bears out there in the Himalayas.

By Jesslyn Shields

Theories about the ghostly lights abound. Conclusions are harder to come by.

By Jamie Allen

Humans are awesome and we have superpowers of our own. But could a greedy world of "supervillains" twist them against us?

By Diana Brown

More than 1,000 people have gone missing from U.S. national parks. Are there reasonable explanations or is there something more sinister at work?

By Diana Brown

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According to new research, many people believe wildly inaccurate myths about the brain and learning — even those who know a lot about neuroscience.

By Shelley Danzy

No crew, sails set, fire still blazing in the galley — some ships wash up on shores under mysterious circumstances. The Resolven was one of them.

By Kate Kershner

When a super-realistic android or video character gives us a creepy feeling, it enters the uncanny valley. Why do we get spooked, and what can we do to avoid it?

By Ed Grabianowski

Can infrasound explain away ghosts, hauntings and other paranormal activity?

By Diana Brown

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It turns out you can't just scatter your loved one's ashes anywhere. So what can you do with them?

By Jesslyn Shields

Dragon fire is an awe-inspiring thing, but exactly how would it happen? Real-world clues from nature point the way.

By Laurie L. Dove

Does your back flare up when a storm is coming? Many people swear that rain makes their joints hurt more. But science has had a hard time proving this.

By Alia Hoyt & Kathryn Whitbourne

Thousands of years ago, the Babylonians created the zodiac and dropped a constellation when it didn't quite fit into their schematic. Its name? Ophiuchus. Should it be part of our horoscope?

By Kate Kershner & Kathryn Whitbourne

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If mental strain caused a bloody nose, academic testing sites would be awash in crimson. So why do we still see psychic nosebleeds from "Stranger Things" to "Scanners"?

By Laurie L. Dove

Top atmospheric scientists say there's no evidence those lines in the sky are part of some sinister government plot. But will that dissuade conspiracy theorists?

By Patrick J. Kiger