Word Origins
Eco or Ego
Historical Inaccuracies in Film
Revolutions
Pseudoscience
100
"Hello" is an old word that wasn't used as a standard greeting until the invention of this technology.
Telephone
100
This highly processed plant-based milk alternative can lead to habitat destruction and pesticide-heavy monocultures.
Almond Milk
100
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In Bohemian Rhapsody, Freddie Mercury finds out he has this disease shortly before Queen's famous Live Aid concert performance. In reality, he did not find out he had this disease or even felt ill until years after this.
AIDS
100
This political revolution in 1789 ended a monarchy, ignited terror, and inspired republics around the world.
The French Revolution
100
This ancient practice claims to predict your personality and future based on your birth date and the stars.
Astrology
200
This English Earl wanted a convenient way to eat in one hand while working or gambling. We named the food after him.
Earl of Sandwich
200
Of the "three Rs", which one is the most important?
Reduce
200
In Braveheart, Mel Gibson’s character wears this traditional Scottish garment—centuries before it actually existed.
Kilt
200
This German monk unintentionally launched the Protestant Reformation when he nailed 95 theses to a church door in 1517.
Martin Luther
200
This "doctor" can cure all sorts of medical problems through altering the spine, all without no medical training whatsoever!*
*Orthopedics is a legitimate medical field.
Chiropractor
300
The word "salary" comes from the Roman salarium, which was a ration, or payment, for soldiers to obtain what?
Salt
300
While electric cars are notable for their efficiency and zero emissions, many people fail to realize this serious pollution risk.
The large batteries that are often not recycled correctly due to cost and danger.
300
What famous quote was actually done slightly incorrectly in the film Apollo 13?
"Houston we have a problem"
"Houston we've had a problem"
300
This country is where the Industrial Revolution started; due to an abundance of coal near the land surface and a smaller population of labor.
England
300
This medical practice involves using needles on meridians of the body and chi or energy. The practice lacks scientific backing on the existence of these energies or the success of these practices.
Acupuncture
400
What Sicilian word meant bold or brave men? The word took on a different meaning in the US.
Mafia
400
These trendy, refillable water containers are great—unless you buy too many or forget that this resource-intensive metal takes decades of reuse to break even.
Aluminum
400
In the Disney film Pocahontas, the title character is romantically involved with John Smith. In reality...
Pocahontas was a child when she met John Smith and they were not ever romantically involved.
400
What revolution led to the shooting death of the entire Romanov family.
The Bolshevik Revolution
400
In the 1800s, phrenology was a popular way of determining personality and character traits based on the shape of your _______.
Sidenote, it was horrifically used as justification for slavery and racism.
Skull
500
The word "kohl" in Arabic was originally in reference to a cosmetic, but later on it took on a different meaning in English.
Don't forget to add the Arabic word for "the" as well.
Alcohol
500
Contrary to their name, these cleaning products cause massive fat-bergs when they enter the sewage system.
"flushable" wipes
500
In The Greatest Showman, Hugh Jackman portrays this character as a lovable dreamer, but in reality he took advantage of people with physical deformities.
P.T. Barnum
500
This revolution, often overshadowed by others, occurred in 1791 and led to the world’s first Black republic.
The Haitian Revolution
500
Based on one objectively false study, many people still believe the baseless rumor that vaccines cause...
Autism
600
In Italy, ships would be forced to stay docked for 40 days to prevent any diseases from unknowingly reaching the port city. The Italian phrase for 40 days became this word in English.
Quarantine
600
These can break down into tiny pieces that enter the food chain and ecosystems—contrary to their “eco” image.
Bioplastics
600
In the Sound of Music, the Von Trapp family escapes to Switzerland by cinematically hiking over the Alps. In reality, they took this less romantic form of transportation.
They took a train to Italy and then immigrated to the US.
600
This scientific figure’s heliocentric model helped spark the Scientific Revolution by challenging Earth’s place in the universe.
Copernicus
600
While unfortunately people are gullible enough to believe in a flat Earth, ancient peoples were well aware that the Earth was round.
One obvious way that they knew this was that when ships left port to sea, they would notice this.
The ship would disappear under the horizon.
700
An arabic Hashshashin was known to commit political killings, which is where we get the word "assassin". This group got its name from another activity they supposedly did.
Use hashish in hookahs.
700
Most plastics will have a recycle identification that ranges from 1-6. Unfortunately, most people who recycle their trash don't realize that plastics 3-6...
Are often sent to a landfill from the recycling center because they aren't profitable to recycle or there isn't enough infrastructure.
700
The 2000 film The Patriot shows British troops doing this horrific act—which never happened during the American Revolution.
Burning a church full of civilians.
700
This South American revolutionary led multiple countries to independence from Spain and is often called “The Liberator.”
Sidenote: At one point his sword was owned by notorious Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar.
Simón Bolívar
700
This pseudoscientific practice involves controlling who is allowed to have children in order to control the genetics of human populations.
The idea is wildly racist and was popular in the turn of the century. It became en vogue in Germany in the 20s and later led to the holocaust.
Eugenics