Falsehood flies, and truth comes limping after it.

All misconception is a distortion of the original, but the nature of that distortion can vary. Some misconceptions contain disinformation - deliberate false information designed to mislead people. However, many misconceptions centre on misinformation - misleading information resulting from unintentional mistakes.

Why a half-truth is so easy to believe

The reasons for unintentional mistakes can vary. For example: <ul><li>We reshape information every time it is shared with other parties, similar to a game of telephone.</li><li>We try to simplify more complicated concepts in our desire for clear stories about the world around us. However, when we hear a good story, we find it difficult to change how we see that information, even if exposed to new evidence.</li></ul>

Unintentional mistakes

How facts can become distorted and misleading.

How does a fact become a misconception? Dig into the world of misinformation to see how facts can become distorted and misleading. -- In 1901, David Hänig published research that led to what we know today as the taste map: an illustration that divides the tongue into four separate areas. It has since been published in textbooks and newspapers. There is just one problem: the map is wrong. So how do misconceptions like this spread, and what makes a fake fact so easy to believe? Joseph Isaac dives into the world of misinformation. Lesson by Joseph Isaac, directed by CUB Animation. Animator's website: http://cubanimation.com/en/intro-en/ Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletter Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreon Follow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebook Find us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitter Peep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-people-fall-for-misinformation-joseph-isaac Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Maria Lerchbaumer, Ever Granada, Marin Kovachev, Ravi S. Rāmphal, Penelope Misquitta, Tekin Gültekin, Jhuval, Hans Peng, Gaurav Mathur, Erik Biemans, Tony, Michelle, Katie and Josh Pedretti, Vaibhav Mirjolkar, Thomas Bahrman, Allan Hayes, Aidan Forero, Uday Kishore, Mikhail Shkirev, Devesh Kumar, Sunny Patel, Anuj Tomar, Lowell Fleming, David Petrovič, Hoai Nam Tran, Stina Boberg, Alexandrina Danifeld, Kack-Kyun Kim, Travis Wehrman, haventfiguredout, Caitlin de Falco, Ken, zjweele13, Anna-Pitschna Kunz, Edla Paniguel, Elena Crescia, Thomas Mungavan, Alejandro Cachoua, Jaron Blackburn, Yoga Trapeze Wanderlust, Sandy Nasser, Venkat Venkatakrishnan, Nicolle Fieldsend-Roxborough, John Saveland, Jason Garcia, Robson Martinho, Martin Lau, Senjo Limbu, Joe Huang, SungGyeong Bae, Christian Kurch, Begum Tutuncu.

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How does a fact become a misconception? Dig into the world of misinformation to see how facts can become distorted and misleading.

--

In 1901, David Hänig published research that led to what we know today as the taste map: an illustration that divides the tongue into four separate areas. It has since been published in textbooks and newspapers. There is just one problem: the map is wrong. So how do misconceptions like this spread, and what makes a fake fact so easy to believe? Joseph Isaac dives into the world of misinformation.

Lesson by Joseph Isaac, directed by CUB Animation.

Animator's website: http://cubanimation.com/en/intro-en/
Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletter
Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreon
Follow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebook
Find us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitter
Peep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram
View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-people-fall-for-misinformation-joseph-isaac

Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Maria Lerchbaumer, Ever Granada, Marin Kovachev, Ravi S. Rāmphal, Penelope Misquitta, Tekin Gültekin, Jhuval, Hans Peng, Gaurav Mathur, Erik Biemans, Tony, Michelle, Katie and Josh Pedretti, Vaibhav Mirjolkar, Thomas Bahrman, Allan Hayes, Aidan Forero, Uday Kishore, Mikhail Shkirev, Devesh Kumar, Sunny Patel, Anuj Tomar, Lowell Fleming, David Petrovič, Hoai Nam Tran, Stina Boberg, Alexandrina Danifeld, Kack-Kyun Kim, Travis Wehrman, haventfiguredout, Caitlin de Falco, Ken, zjweele13, Anna-Pitschna Kunz, Edla Paniguel, Elena Crescia, Thomas Mungavan, Alejandro Cachoua, Jaron Blackburn, Yoga Trapeze Wanderlust, Sandy Nasser, Venkat Venkatakrishnan, Nicolle Fieldsend-Roxborough, John Saveland, Jason Garcia, Robson Martinho, Martin Lau, Senjo Limbu, Joe Huang, SungGyeong Bae, Christian Kurch, Begum Tutuncu.

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JONATHAN SWIFT

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