Survival tips are fantastic and might save your life one day. IF . . . and this is a big if . . . you get those tips from a credible source.
Here are four popular survival tips that are actually MYTHS . . . and if you ever try them, you might be in even more danger.
1. Drinking water from a cactus to survive in the desert. While one or two species of cactuses have a little water inside, most cactuses are filled with acids that can cause diarrhea and fatal dehydration.
2. Opening all of your windows to survive a tornado. If you open your windows, it won’t spread out the force of the tornado . . . it will create a wind tunnel that can rip off your roof. Spend your time getting to the basement.
3. Lightning never strikes the same place twice. It absolutely does. This myth started because of a joke: “Lightning never strikes the same place twice . . . because the same place isn’t there anymore.” But people ignored the second part so the myth was born.
4. Ration your water if you’re stranded. The right move is to “ration sweat, not water.” Try to stay cool, drink your water, and use the strength you get from that water to search for more water. Dehydration is much more dangerous.
Photo by NOAA
