Alternate:
Fortune Cookies originated in China
Current:
Fortune Cookies did not originate in China
Fortune Cookies
Come on, this is a no-brainer. Everyone knows fortune cookies came from China - don't they?
Not any more.
Today, the Chinese style phrases, proverbs or vague prophecies we see in them certainly allude to their origins as being oriental, and the Chinese restaurants they are served in, together with the way they are made, seem to fit in with what Westerners expect of Chinese food. But nope, they're rarely seen in China at all. This was even confirmed in a 1983 court case confirming they were first served in San Francisco.
It turns out they are largely an American invention. Today they are certainly served in the Chinese restaurants of the US, but they were not brought over from the orient as a native dish.
Their popularity is due to the way they spread with the growth of what would have been seen as the new, exotic trend in foreign restaurants serving oriental food - or what appealed to the Americans of the day as such, even if not authentic.
Alternate:
Bulls attack red rags
Current:
Bulls do not attack red rags
Do bulls attack red rags?
The saying "Red rag to a bull" has become so commonplace that everyone is sure it must be rooted in fact. It's used to describe an action which is likely to aggravate, or make an inflamed situation worse.
The assumption is that the origin lies with the angry reaction a bull inherently exhibits when it sees the color red, and this is further reinforced with the use of red flags by matadors in bullfights.
Is there any basis in this? It turns out not to be the case. In fact bulls show no special behaviour to any particular color, and the gruesome reason those flags are red is in fact to try to mask the blood which results from the bull's torment.
Alternate:
The St Bernard rescue dog carried a brandy barrel round its neck
Current:
The St Bernard rescue dog never carried a brandy barrel round its neck
What was round the St Bernard rescue dogs neck?
Sometimes, the truth behind popular misconceptions can shatter life-long held warm, comforting beliefs.
If you were in need of assistance, alone on a snowy alpine mountain, and saw a St Bernard dog bounding towards you, what would you expect to see round its neck? Most people's answer is a small barrel of brandy, and the image of a large, friendly and very furry dog is hard to shake off. Unfortunately that's not the case and never has been, no matter how comforting or cute we find the story.
It turns out the origin of this picture is quite literally a picture - it's from an artist's studio in England in 1820. Once the painting gained popularity, so did the idea of the barrel of brandy. However, it's never been used once as depicted this way.
Alternate:
3
Current:
7
9/11: How many buildings were lost?
As if the 9/11 attack isn't controversial enough, it seems to now be the subject of a Mandela Effect.
Everyone knows the Twin Towers were destroyed on September 11, 2001, and many know that WTC 7 was lost too. Most people know 3 buildings collapsed on that day, and remember that's the way it was reported at the time. So they are surprised to hear that today the total figure is 7, because other buildings were demolished in the weeks following due to damage received on the day, such as the Deutsche Bank Building, We're not talking about the number which were destroyed on the day here - it's the total lost in the time following the event which couldn't be repaired.
The collapse of the Twin Towers destroyed the rest of the complex, and debris from the collapsing towers severely damaged or destroyed more than a dozen other adjacent and nearby structures. Other buildings destroyed include St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Marriott World Trade Center (Marriott Hotel 3 WTC), South Plaza (4 WTC), and U.S. Customs (6 WTC).
The Verizon Building was also extensively damaged but was successfully restored later.
Alternate:
It bounced and didn't break, which meant bad luck
Current:
There was no champagne bottle
Did it break during the launch ceremony or stay intact?
There's a mystery around the Christening of the Titanic. Many people remember the story of how the champagne bottle didn't break during the launch ceremony. This was significant because traditionally, it meant bad luck, which considering what happened to the Titanic is putting it mildly.
The problem is the story cannot be true because the White Star line, the owners of the ship, did not use champage bottles during the launch ceremony, and in fact the Titanic was never christened at all.
Those who remember the champagne bottle story may be experiencing a Mandela Effect.
Alternate:
1980's
Current:
1830's
First appeared?
By now, most people who've been using email for any length of time are aware it can be used as part of a scam attempt to make money. Many of these are in the form of some individual claiming to be able to access a large amount with just a little help from someone on the outside.
They are not addressed to individuals at the start, because they are send in bulk in the hope someone believes them and follows up. At that point, they are personalised because the scammer then develops the con further with their potential victim, leading up to the inevitable point where they ask for money up front so they can get more back.
These are popularly known as the "Nigerian Prince Scam" and are seen as a modern phenomenom, but they actually first appeared in the 1830's.
Alternate:
1877
Current:
1977
When was it last used?
Along with the rack, thumbscrews and burning at the stake, people associate the guillotine with medieval punishment and execution methods. Most famously, the guillotine was used in the French Revolution to dispose of that countries monarchy. So when most people are asked to date the last time it was officially used, they come up with years in the 1700 - 1900 range, with a few being aware it was used during the second world war.
The actual year of 1977 comes a such a shock that it's being classed as an MMDE, because the feeling is this is exactly the kind of thing which should be more widely known.