Ocean State Libraries

A collection of urban myths reveals how each has been disproven, sharing hundreds of facts about myth origins, their historical significance, and the ways they were investigated by scientific debunkers.

An encyclopedic compendium of facts, images, and infographics brings familiar topics to life and helps readers discover fun-filled trivia and statistics in a range of subjects, from science and history to culture and the natural world.

"This is the book that will put to rest even more rumors, misconceptions, superstitions, and flat out lies that you hear every day--also known as the book your mom never wanted you to see. Think boys are better at math? Don't bet on it. Think an apple-a-day keeps the doctor away? Better buy some oranges too. Think you evolved from a chimp? You might want to check your sources on that. Be in the know on all kinds of amazing subjects!"--

"The pirates we see in movies and on TV are very different from those that actually once sailed the seas. This book takes an engaging look at pirate mythology and assigns a "fact" or "phony" evaluation to many of the things commonly associated with the swashbuckling sailors. Did pirates really make people "walk the plank" or carry around treasure maps? Loaded with fact boxes and explanations of how many of these pirate myths originated, readers will...

"The human body is full of amazingly complex systems. Science has helped explain so much about the way our bodies work, but there are still plenty of myths some consider as fact. Are human bones really four times as strong as concrete? How close can someone sit to a TV before damaging his or her eyes? This fun, informative book separates fact from fiction through the use of engaging fact boxes and specific scientific research to debunk some of the...

"William Shakespeare wrote some of the most famous plays in history, but there is plenty of misinformation about his life and times. This book dives into those so-called "facts" and discovers what's real and what's fake with entertaining ease. Did Shakespeare really burn down the Globe Theatre? Did he write all of his plays on his own? Brilliant fact boxes help provide historical context to Shakespeare's life and works, while "The Bard's Best Bits"...

"Drawing on ecological, social justice and storytelling frameworks, this . . . book discusses how information pollution spreads and why, tackling the topic of internet ethics while empowering readers to create a safe, secure and inclusive digital world."--

"In a society where countless ideas are being shared, debated, and analyzed, it's more important than ever to sift out the good ones from among the bad ones. And when people you respect and trust use arguments that sound persuasive, how can you determine if they are correct? One of the most commonly used methods of spreading misinformation is the use of a logical fallacy--a bad argument that makes something seem truthful that actually might not be....