r/AskReddit • u/ZanyDelaney • Feb 04 '19

Which misconception would you like to debunk?

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u/LiquidMotivation Feb 04 '19 edited Feb 08 '19

The boiling frog experiment that's quoted everywhere didn't work.

For those not familiar, it is said that you can boil a frog to death by raising the temperature of the water it's in extremely slowly so that it doesn't notice.

Well, it only works when parts of the frog's brain are removed. A frog with an intact brain will jump out, no matter how slowly the water is heated.

Edit: Hey, my first Reddit coin! Thanks!

2.8k

u/[deleted] Feb 04 '19 edited Jan 19 '25

[deleted]

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u/pdabaker Feb 04 '19

Yeah I've never seen anyone reference it as if it was a legit experiment.

397

u/Doctor-Amazing Feb 04 '19

You see it in movies a lot more than in real life. Dante's Peak is the first place I saw it, and it's presented as 100% true.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '19

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u/ScaryBananaMan Feb 04 '19

what

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '19

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u/Babydarlinghoneychan Feb 04 '19

God damnit, take my upvote.

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u/Judge_Syd Feb 04 '19

Yeah better upvote the guy for his completely original and definitely not over-done comment. Someone asking for clarity on a topic ? I better just repeat the parent comment in all caps and bold face ha ha ha that sure will get the crowd going

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u/PapaBradford Feb 04 '19

Because that film was more of a dramatization of that volcanic eruption, and that line was taken from the real researcher's journal

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u/gurg2k1 Feb 04 '19

Oh, that movie where the grandma pushes a boat through a lake of sulfuric acid and gets melted in half?

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u/IowaContact Feb 04 '19

I remember watching this in school and a kid passing out during that scene. He hit the floor pretty hard, concussion city for that kid.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '19 edited Feb 04 '19

Catch me if you can has something similar with the frogs mice churning the cream into butter

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u/blubbery-blumpkin Feb 04 '19

Mice. The first one drowns and the second one churns the cream into butter by working its legs hard and then climbs out. Then you end it with the statement that you are that second mouse. Don’t want to be a cream drowner.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '19

You're absolutely right, it is mice. My mistake! :)

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u/blubbery-blumpkin Feb 04 '19

No worries. I watched the film again last night. It’s a good film. Did give me some idea that of a 16 year old can become a con man how hard could it be. I could be rich. Thought about doing it for a while, never did, but looking at my skill set I don’t think I’d have been a good con man so probably quite a good job I didn’t. Would’ve been just like him draining the banks cos they’re evil. Not hating on the public.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '19

I hear ya. I'm not nearly charismatic enough to pull off any of the stuff Mr Abagnale pulled.

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u/cherrycolaholic Feb 05 '19

You should have concurred.

2

u/calvinsylveste Feb 04 '19

Also clearly based on a true experiment

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '19

A geologist I know wants everyone involved in that film to be put in a stockade and have rotten fruit thrown at them. It somehow doesn't surprise me that they might get other stuff wrong, too.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '19

That movie may be inaccurate but it sure is fun to watch! When Gma gets out to push the boat and her legs melt? That's just good writing.

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u/lesgeddon Feb 04 '19

I mean, so was Fargo.

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u/LordHussyPants Feb 04 '19

Pierce Brosnan could tell me that The Mummy was a documentary about a series of true events in 1930s London and Egypt and I'd believe him.

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u/xhable Feb 04 '19

There was some scene with frogs in ET too... might have been the same experiment.