As people across North America eagerly awaited the total solar eclipse, myth-busters stepped in to calm fears and debunk a number of misconceptions. For example, some questioned whether the celestial event could impact unborn babies or contaminate food, while others believed it might instantly cause blindness.
In response, NASA made clear that a solar eclipse actually leads to a temporary, sharp drop in solar radiation rather than an increase. They also assured that expecting mothers and their babies were in no danger. Similarly, food remains safe during an eclipse, debunking the myth that food prepared during this time can cause harm.
The space agency also tackled other interesting myths such as the belief that the moon turns black during an eclipse and the idea that the Earth’s poles never experience eclipses. These, among others, are wrong, said NASA. Finally, the myth that the eclipse could cause impending bad health if it falls six months after your birthday, or on your birthday, was debunked as pure astrological forecasting and confirmation bias.
Despite these myths, eclipses hold deep spiritual and traditional meaning for many cultures. The Ojibwe and other Indigenous cultures, for example, tell tales of magical animals or gods trying to eat the sun during an eclipse.
Vocabulary List:
- Eclipse (noun): The total or partial obscuring of one celestial body by another.
- Debunk (verb): Expose the falseness or hollowness of a mythideaor belief.
- Celestial (adjective): Relating to the sky or the heavens divine.
- Contaminate (verb): Make something impure or unsuitable by contact with something unclean.
- Myth (noun): A traditional storyespecially one concerning the early history of a people explaining some natural or social phenomenon.
- Astrological (adjective): Relating to astrologythe study of the movements and positions of celestial bodies.
