"Scientific" Rumor List in February 2025: Can "Spring Fasting" achieve "Quick Weight Loss"?

The list of "scientific" rumors in February 2025 is revealed! Let's take a look at the rumors and the truth

1. "Degradable plastics" can be naturally degraded if thrown away casually

gossip:

"Biodegradable plastics" can be discarded at will, as they will degrade naturally in nature anyway.

the truth:

The name "degradable plastic" actually misleads most ordinary consumers. People often think that this is an "environmentally friendly material" and these "degradable plastic" products can be thrown away after use. In fact, many people do not know that the degradation conditions of so-called "degradable plastics" are actually very harsh. A report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) pointed out that the decomposition rate of most degradable plastics in the natural environment is much lower than market propaganda, and may even bring new pollution problems.

"Degradable plastics" are a class of plastic materials that include dozens of materials and can be decomposed into small molecules (such as carbon dioxide, water, methane or biomass) under specific environmental conditions (such as microbial action, light, moisture, oxygen, etc.). According to different degradation methods, degradable plastics mainly include: biodegradable plastics, photodegradable plastics and oxidatively degradable plastics.

Different degradable plastics usually require specific degradation conditions to achieve degradation. For example, photodegradable plastics and oxidative degradable plastics can only be degraded after a period of time under composting conditions. In natural environments, such as oceans, soil or landfills, their degradation rate is very slow. Even if degradable plastics begin to decompose, they may not disappear completely. Instead, they may turn into smaller plastic particles - microplastics, which can remain and accumulate in the environment for a long time.

Therefore, "degradable" plastic does not mean it is "disposable". Degradable plastics sometimes need to be recycled. Scientific and standardized recycling can reduce the generation of plastic waste. Reducing the use of plastics from the source, increasing the possibility of reuse, and properly recycling and reusing, and changing the continuous consumption of the linear model through the practice of circular economy may be a better way to deal with plastic pollution at present.

2. Osteoporosis patients should minimize activity to prevent fractures

gossip:

The elderly person suffers from osteoporosis, so his family members ask him to move less, saying that too much activity may lead to fractures.

the truth:

Osteoporosis is an aging disease caused by a variety of metabolic factors, such as reduced trace element intake, as people age. In addition to medication, it is also necessary to improve lifestyle in order to treat osteoporosis. Appropriate exercise is one of the ways to "build muscle and strengthen bones". There is a lot of evidence that exercise promotes muscle and bone metabolism.

Many elderly people choose not to exercise because they are too worried about falling. This involves the principle of "use it or lose it". The functions of the human body, whether physical or cognitive, become more flexible the more they are used. If they are not active, bones and muscles will be lost quietly. Bones can be compared to tree trunks, and muscles to the soil that supports the trunks. If you reduce exercise, bones and muscles will be lost, which will increase the risk of falling.

In addition, everyone knows that osteoporosis requires vitamin D supplementation, and increasing sunlight and allowing ultraviolet rays to irradiate the skin can promote the synthesis of vitamin D. If you are inactive and stay indoors all day, you will not get enough vitamin D. Therefore, reducing activity due to fear of fractures is a way to stop eating with the bathwater. The elderly should promote muscle growth and enhance bone stability through healthy diet and moderate exercise.

3. Cover your body with sweat after a fever to get better quickly

gossip:

When you have a fever, you must cover your sweat with a blanket or thick clothes to help reduce your temperature.

the truth:

Covering your body to sweat and reduce fever is not recommended. Fever is actually a self-defense mechanism of the human body. When bacteria or viruses invade the human body, our immune system begins to work. In order to help suppress and eliminate these viruses, the human body raises the body surface temperature, and at the same time, the army of white blood cells quickly assembles to fight against viruses and bacteria. If you increase your body temperature by covering your body with sweat, it may cause your body temperature to be too high, further increasing the burden on the body and even causing high fever. In addition, when the body temperature rises, the body needs to restore normal temperature by dissipating heat. Covering your body with sweat may limit the heat dissipation effect and hinder the body's natural process of regulating body temperature. At the same time, sweating too much may also cause dehydration.

When you have a fever, it is recommended to maintain a proper room temperature, wear appropriate clothing, drink plenty of water, and wipe your body with warm water to help lower your body temperature. If the fever persists or is accompanied by other serious symptoms, it is recommended to seek medical attention in a timely manner.

4. Asteroid 2024 YR4 is about to hit Earth

gossip:

The asteroid "2024 YR4", known as the "city killer", will hit the Earth in 2032, releasing energy of about 7.7 million tons of TNT equivalent, equivalent to 500 Hiroshima atomic bombs.

the truth:

On December 27, 2024, an asteroid numbered 2024 YR4 passed by the Earth and was discovered by the Asteroid Impact Earth Warning System station in Chile. After two days of tracking and observation, astronomers calculated that it had a 1% probability of colliding with the Earth.

Since then, astronomers and observatories from all over the world have joined the observation, and more observation results have been released. The calculation results released by the European Space Agency show that the probability of its impact on the earth has risen to 1.6%, and the time is expected to be December 22, 2032. In mid-February 2025, the latest data calculated by NASA showed that the probability has risen to 2% to 2.3%.

According to Chinese astronomical experts, the diameter of the 2024 YR4 asteroid is about 40 to 90 meters, and its impact probability is estimated to be about 2%. Among the asteroids that we have discovered so far that may hit the Earth, this probability is very high. However, this impact probability will change rapidly. The main reason is that the initial observation time is usually very short, and the orbit of the asteroid is not calculated very accurately. Only when the observation results accumulate to a certain extent, the orbit of the asteroid and the impact probability can be more accurate.

In recent decades, the international community has worked together to respond to the threat of near-Earth asteroids and has formed a set of normalized cooperation mechanisms. The International Asteroid Warning Network is responsible for coordinating global asteroid tracking; the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group is responsible for formulating the launch and execution of asteroid impact response missions, response plans, and time limits. If an asteroid with a probability of hitting the Earth greater than 1% and a size greater than 50 meters is found within 50 years, the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group will start the response work and decide how humans should respond to the asteroid impact.

Experts believe that although the probability of an asteroid hitting the Earth exists and cannot be ignored, there is no need to worry too much.

5. Wearing glasses will make myopia worse, and you can never take them off again

gossip:

Try not to wear glasses, because once you put them on, your myopia will worsen and you will never be able to take them off.

the truth:

This statement has no scientific basis. The deepening of myopia is not directly related to wearing glasses, but is related to the growth of the eye axis during eye development, unscientific eye habits, and lack of sufficient outdoor activities. Doctors say that if children do not wear glasses in time after becoming myopic, their eyes will be like "seeing flowers in the fog". In order to see objects clearly, the ciliary muscles are constantly in a state of tension, causing the eye axis to continue to grow, which may cause eye fatigue, deepening of myopia, strabismus, amblyopia and other consequences. Once a child is diagnosed with true myopia, it is irreversible and should be promptly advised by an ophthalmologist to take intervention measures such as wearing glasses, using eyes scientifically, and increasing outdoor sports to delay the development of myopia.

6. Eating fish oil can lower blood lipids

gossip:

Eating fish oil can lower blood lipids, remove waste from blood vessels, and make blood vessels healthier.

the truth:

This statement is not rigorous. The main component of fish oil that is useful to the human body is Omega-3 fatty acids, which are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are essential to the human body but cannot be synthesized by itself, including DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). However, "blood lipids" are not a single indicator. The general four blood lipids include total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides. Omega-3 fatty acids cannot lower cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, but can only "deal with" triglycerides.

Mild triglyceride elevation can usually be restored to normal by controlling diet. If the index is still high after diet control, you can take fibrates, and of course, you can also use it with fish oil. In the event of drug side effects, or after excluding other causes and receiving statins and other drug treatment, severe patients with triglycerides ≥ 5.6mmol/L (500mg/dL) or even 11.3mmol/L (1000mg/dL) should add omega-3 fatty acids to lower triglyceride levels.

Some studies have shown that the intake of DHA and EPA is beneficial to cardiovascular health, but the content of DHA and EPA in different fish oil products varies greatly. Both DHA and EPA have the effect of lowering triglycerides and triglyceride-rich lipoprotein cholesterol, and are dose-dependent. In other words, the ratio of these two components must be high for fish oil to have a therapeutic effect. Generally speaking, it can only be called prescription fish oil if the purity reaches more than 90%. The purity of fish oil on the market ranges from 30% to 97%. If you take a 30% pure fish oil, you will also take in 70% of other oils, so if you eat it wrong, your blood lipids may be "greased up". In addition to purity, you also need to look at the content of "DHA+EPA" in the ingredient list. The recommended amount in the Chinese Blood Lipid Management Guidelines is 1 to 4 grams per day.

In general, for healthy people, fish oil, a common health supplement, has limited lipid-lowering effects due to insufficient dosage. For people with hyperlipidemia, high-purity fish oil can be used as an adjuvant therapy, but fish oil cannot replace statins for cholesterol management. It is recommended to first conduct lifestyle intervention when blood lipids are abnormal, and then consider fish oil supplementation if the effect is insufficient, but it must be used under the guidance of a doctor.

7. Take medicine only after you have symptoms of pollen allergy

gossip:

Pollen allergies are more likely to occur in spring, so anti-allergic drugs should be taken only when allergic symptoms appear.

the truth:

Sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, even coughing and chest tightness occur in spring. These symptoms may be caused by allergies in most cases, especially pollen allergies. Spring pollen allergies often occur from March to April. The main factor causing allergies is tree pollen, which comes from species such as Salicaceae, Pinaceae, and Cupressaceae. Patients with clear pollen allergies must take countermeasures in advance. Preventive medication can be used 2 to 4 weeks before the spring pollen season. Early prevention is more effective than treatment after symptoms appear. For example, if you have allergic rhinitis, you can use nasal spray hormones such as budesonide and fluticasone in advance; if you have allergic conjunctivitis, you can use eye drops for allergy treatment, such as emedastine eye drops; if you have allergic asthma, you can use drugs containing inhaled glucocorticoids.

The dose of these hormones is very small, and it takes a certain amount of time for them to take effect. If you wait until sneezing or runny nose occurs before using them, the effect is often not good enough. Using them in advance can reduce the occurrence of symptoms and also reduce the severity of symptoms. Generally, they are used after the pollen season, and then you can consider stopping or reducing the dose according to the symptoms.

8. The NFC function of mobile phones has become a cash machine for scammers. Just touch it and the money is gone.

gossip:

The NFC function on mobile phones is not safe. If a scammer touches it, the money in your account can be swiped away.

the truth:

This statement is incorrect. Speaking of NFC, it is a normal function of smartphones. Before explaining this term, we need to popularize RFID. Its full name is Radio Frequency Identification. Community access cards and ETC payments on highways are all based on RFID technology. The working principle of RFID technology is: the reader transmits electromagnetic waves through the antenna. When a passive tag (such as an access card) enters the sensing range, its internal coil will generate a microcurrent due to electromagnetic induction. With this wireless power supply method, the tag is "activated" and interacts with the reader for data, ultimately realizing functions such as identity recognition and payment verification. One of the beauties of this technology is that the tag itself that needs to be read does not need to be powered at all times.

The principle of NFC is very similar to RFID, except that it can not only perform one-way identification, but also exchange data. The full name of NFC is near-field communication technology, and its name well explains the characteristics of this technology: generally, data can only be exchanged within a range of 20 cm or even shorter, so it has natural security and can be used well in mobile payment scenarios. For example, many bank cards support NFC function. If you go to a shopping mall and use a bank card or a mobile phone bound to a bank card, you may find that the merchant no longer needs to "swipe" the card as in the past, but directly put the cash register close to your bank card or mobile phone to read the information for transactions. In addition, you can also use the NFC function to swipe the bus card directly.

Many offline stores now have devices with the "touch and pay" function. Applying for such payment devices requires merchant identity authentication, and the "touch and pay" function can only be enabled when the phone is unlocked, so it is impossible for someone to "touch and take" the money while the phone is in your pocket.

The key to money being stolen is not the NFC function on the phone, but trusting strangers easily, downloading unknown software, or even allowing strangers to directly control your phone. Therefore, instead of worrying about "NFC fraudulent payment", it is better to enhance anti-fraud awareness and not download unknown software. If you are really worried about the safety risks of touching it, you can also turn off the NFC function of the phone, or turn off the small amount of password-free payment function.

9. “Spring fasting” can achieve “fast weight loss”

gossip:

If you gain three pounds during every festive season, you can lose weight by using the “spring fasting” method.

the truth:

After the Spring Festival holiday, various "fast weight loss guides" and "magic tools" for reducing fat have become hot topics again, and "Spring Fasting" has become a hot search term for weight loss. However, relying on "starvation" to lose weight will not only rebound after stopping fasting, but also cause symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction such as hiccups, acid reflux, heartburn, bloating, abnormal bowel movements, and put a burden on kidney metabolism.

Some Chinese patent medicines or weight loss pills containing Chinese herbal ingredients are claimed to be safe and effective, and are popular. Most of these medicines are based on herbs that have the effect of removing dampness and promoting diuresis, such as hawthorn, Poria cocos, Cassia seed, Astragalus, Coix seeds, etc., and some contain herbs such as rhubarb that can clear away heat and purge fire. However, the application of Chinese medicine is not a "one size fits all" approach. Improper use of medicines will not only fail to achieve the expected weight loss effect, but will also be counterproductive.

It is unrealistic to take shortcuts and "sit back and enjoy slimming". Only when eating habits remain stable can the body's functions remain stable. For example, in terms of diet, you should eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt foods; in terms of exercise, you can do aerobic exercises such as skipping rope, jogging, swimming, etc. for more than 30 minutes every day.

The monthly "science" rumor list is guided by the Beijing Association for Science and Technology, the Beijing Municipal Cyberspace Administration, and the Capital Internet Association, and jointly released by the Beijing Science and Technology Journalists and Editors Association and the Beijing Regional Website Joint Rumor-Refuting Platform, and is supported by the Science and Technology Journalists and Editors Professional Committee of the China Science Writers Association, the China Evening News Science Editors and Journalists Association, the Shanghai Science Communication Association, and the Institute of Science and Technology Information of the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology.

Sources of this issue: People's Daily Client, People's Daily Health Client, Science Rumor Refutation, Tencent Reality, Beijing Science and Technology News, Beijing Daily Client, Jimu News