Common misconceptions about the Wikipedia Education Program

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Technology

Toilet waste is never intentionally dumped overboard from an aircraft. All waste is collected in tanks which are emptied on the ground by special toilet waste vehicles. A vacuum is used to allow the toilet to be flushed with less water and because plumbing cannot rely on gravity alone in an aircraft in motion.^[384]^[385] The infamous blue ice is caused by accidental leakages from the waste tank. Passenger trains, on the other hand, have historically flushed onto the tracks; however, modern trains usually have retention tanks on board the train.

Searing meat does not “seal in” moisture, and in fact may actually cause meat to lose moisture. Rather, meat is seared to create a brown crust and to add a rich flavor via the Maillard reaction.^[25]^[26]
Mussels that do not open when cooked can still be fully cooked and safe to eat.^[27]
All true teas, including black, green, and white teas, come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal “teas”, such as those made from chamomile, peppermint, or rooibos, usually contain no tea.^{[citation needed]}
When cooking with alcoholic beverages, the alcohol does not completely evaporate (or ‘burn off’ in common terminology); the amount remaining depends upon the cooking method used.^[28]
Adding salt to water does not make it boil faster, the salt is just an impurity that allows the water to come to a higher temperature. Furthermore, adding a “pinch” of salt to water will make little or no measurable difference.