Myths Most People Believed Until 'Mythbusters' Debunked Them

We don't realize it, but most of us walk around every day with the idea that certain myths are true. Whether they are stories hammered into our heads from childhood or simply widely held misconceptions, we carry these beliefs without even thinking about them. That is until the show Mythbusters came along to put these "facts" to the test. We learned that not everything we're led to believe has even a kernel of truth. Many are flat-out lies.

1. The Pirate Fall

In every swashbuckling adventure, there's at least one pirate atop a mash who thrusts his sword into the ship's sail and smoothly slides down to safety. In reality, a sword would simply destroy the sail — and be pretty painful for the buccaneer.

2. Oddjob's Useless "Weapon"

Oddjob, the famous James Bond henchman who threw his metal-lined bowler hat as a deadly weapon, could never actually toss it with enough strength to knock heads off statues. That impact would only leave his victims shaken, not stirred.

3. The Rowboat Submarine

Could an upside-down rowboat provide a small pocket of air for humans to survive if they were underwater? Unfortunately not. You better make sure you bring your scuba tank along if you attempt this stunt.

4. Mirror Death Ray

The Mythbusters hosts were excited to attempt to build a UV-harnessing death ray using mirrors, but it ended up being a huge disappointment. Even with a massive collection of mirrors, the rays barely grew in strength.