鲜为人知的常识误区：重力闪电等

　　Adults don't grow new brain cells

　　　　成年人不会再长新的脑细胞

　　Much of a human's crucial brain development happens during childhood, but it isn't all downhill from there. Studies have shown that neurons continue to grow and change well into the adult years.

　　人类大脑发育的关键时期主要是在儿童时期，但这并不意味着打那以后它就完全走下坡路了。研究表明，进入成年许久以后，人的神经细胞仍然在继续生长和变化。

　　Lightning never strikes the same place twice

　　　　闪电从来不会两次击中同一个地方

　　In fact lightning favors certain spots, particularly high locations. The Empire State Building is struck about 25 times every year. Ben Franklin grasped the concept long ago and mounted a metal rod atop the roof of his home, then ran a wire to the ground, thereby inverting the lightning rod.

　　事实上，闪电特别青睐某些特定的地方，尤其是高处。帝国大厦每年会被电击约二十五次。很久以前，本富兰克林就已经认识到了这一点。他在自家屋顶上安了一根金属棒，从上面接了根金属线到地上，有此发明了避雷针。

　　There is no gravity in space

　　　　太空中没有重力

　　Blame the term "zero-gravity" for this common misconception. Gravity is everywhere, even in space. Astronauts look weightless because they are in continuous freefall towards the Earth, staying aloft because of their horizontal motion. The effect of gravity diminishes with distance, but it never truly goes away. Oh, and while we're at it, it's also untrue that space is a vacuum. There are all kinds of atoms out there, albeit sometimes far apart (and this thin gas adds to the collective gravity budget, too!)

　　这一普遍误解的产生得归咎于“失重状态”这个词。重力无处不在，即便是在太空中也不例外。宇航员表明上看起来是失重的，那是因为他们在不停地往地球方向做自由落体运动，而他们在水平方向上的运动又使他们保持着漂浮的状态。重力的作用随着距离的增大而减小，但是不可能完全消失。对了，说到这里，太空也不是真空状态的。太空中有各种各样的原子，只不过有时它们彼此相距甚远而已。(即使是这样稀薄的气体也会使空间的总引力增大！)

　　　Chichen soup can cure the common cold

　　　　鸡汤能治好感冒

　　Cure is a strong word, but science suggests Moms around the world are still right in forcing spoonfuls of chicken soup down their kids' throats. Studies have found that the broth actually contains anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce congestion.

　　说治好有点言过其实了，不过科学研究表明，世界各地的妈妈们喜欢往孩子嘴里灌几勺鸡汤还是挺对的。研究发现，鸡汤里的确含有消炎成分，可以缓解(喉部的)充血症状。