35 False 'Facts' That You Wrongly Believe (And 1 That You Should)

11. Thomas Crapper Invented The Flush Toilet

I desperately wanted this to be true. I've always wanted this to be true. Sadly, it isn't. It's hard to put too many words around this because, quite simply, it isn't true. Thomas Crapper didn't invent the flush toilet. Why his name became synonymous with the flush toilet is, however, clear when his profession and associated developments are taken into consideration. As a teenager Thomas Crapper started out as a plumber's apprentice. At the age of 25 he started his own company in London which specialised in manufacturing bathroom ware and fittings - in particular, the flush toilet. His company became renowned for the quality of its product and over time Crapper played a significant role in the development of other inventions related to the flush toilet, such as the ballcock. But Crapper didn't, in fact, invent the flush toilet. Just as his name entered popular culture relative to the product he was known for, so too did John Harrington's - he was the actual inventor of the flushing toilet. In terms of popular culture and language, there aren't many people who could claim to have put terms as common as 'crap' and 'john' in to widespread usage.

10. The Great Wall Of China Is The Only Man-Made Object Visible From Space

Nope, it isn't. In fact, even from a low orbit the Great Wall of China has been reported as only barely visible and, from the moon, not visible at all. In fact the casual observer / moon-lander would need vision 17,000 times better than 20/20 just to have even a remote chance of being able to see the Great Wall from the moon at all. Of course it's all entirely dependent on the definition of a man-made object, how far into space we're talking, the time of day and what - if any - magnification tools astronauts have at their disposal. Most cited examples from the recent past come from US space shuttle astronauts or those manning the International Space Station. For instance astronauts looking at the night-side of the planet report that city lights are clearly visible. During the day, cities can be clearly distinguished from outer-lying areas. A Spanish greenhouse complex covering 50,000 acres has been seen from space and with the aid of binoculars some astronauts have reported being able to see larger structures including roads, dams, airports, harbours, very large buildings and even large sea and air vehicles.