Debunking Day

Debunking Day is an annual American holiday celebrating the unmasking of myths and misconceptions. Thanks to this day, people can stop believing in common myths and assumptions because now there is only truth. It is on March 11.

History

Sometimes, when reading about another interesting discovery that hasn’t yet been fully confirmed, you want to ask, “What kind of person came up with this?” Disclosure is the best way to test various claims and ingrained myths that each of us believes. For example, a common mistake in dieting is that if you feel like eating late at night, you should snack on an apple. This is a mistake, as an apple only increases the appetite! Therefore, it is better to replace it with a small banana.

A man named Rob Brezsny should be thanked for creating Debunking Day. He was a whistleblower himself, and he was also an astrologer, musician, and science enthusiast, who organized weddings and other events. He was an extremely versatile man. The holiday has been around since the 1990s.

Whistleblowers allow us to have confidence in existing information. Disclosures range from unproven theories (e.g., about alien ships seen) to more mundane questions (which to choose: white or brown sugar?).

Interesting Facts

• One of the most popular TV shows about testing various myths and assumptions is MythBusters.
• Up until the end of the 20th century, many scholars believed that the Egyptian pyramids were built by Jewish slaves. An obituary with the names of the deceased builders was discovered in the 1990s. It turned out that they were Egyptians and completely free builders, who were also good specialists.

How to Celebrate

Search the Internet for information about debunking myths and various established opinions. Perhaps you will learn something new and stop believing in them yourself. Do a little research of your own to test some opinions (e.g., that Coca-Cola is great at destroying toilet plaque, etc.).

Tell others about Debunking Day on social media. Ask other users what myth they believed in for a long time, but eventually, it was debunked.

When is Debunking Day in 2025?

Debunking Day is observed on March 11 each year.

Observations