10 Science Myths You Probably Still Believe

4. One Dog Year Is Equal To Seven Human Years

No one really knows where the 7:1 myth comes from and, in fact, it wasn't always seven. A 13th century source puts it at 9:1 and an 18th century naturalist named Georges Buffon put it closer to 10:1. In actual fact, the lifespan and maturity rates of dogs are just not comparable to humans in many ways.

Firstly, the lifespan of dogs vary between breeds and sizes, so there would be no one-size-fits-all solution anyway. Oddly, in a break from the general rule of nature, dogs' lifespans are inversely related to their size, meaning that smaller dogs live longer.

Secondly, dogs mature much faster than humans in their early years and much slower in their later years, often reaching sexual maturity in the first year of life. If humans really aged seven times slower than dogs, then we would all be ready to get married and have babies by the age of seven, and still enjoy the fitness of youth well into our 80s.