Urban legends always circulate on the Internet. Lately, ones about rat urine on soda cans have been circulating. There’s always the concern that it is something legitimate. Thankfully, there are sites that can help, but at times even they can be confusing. Here are the top five urban legends about soda cans and whether they are true or not.
Rat Urine on Soda Cans Causes a Deadly Disease
It is true that rat urine can cause Leptospirosis. However, it is not true that anybody has died from this disease because of drinking directly from a soda can. No worker died from cleaning up rat feces, either. It is important to note that rat urine is not ordinarily toxic to humans. Also, think, that when pouring soda, it would have touched the top of the soda can, so it would have affected the people who poured it, too.If you are still concerned about getting a disease by drinking from soda cans, make sure to wash the soda can with soap and water.
Tapping the Side of a Soda Can Prevents Foaming
Many people tap the side of the soda can to try to prevent the soda from foaming over the top. Theories about tapping the side of the soda can say that it makes the bubbles go back in or stops the carbon dioxide from forming. Neither of these are true. The only way to try to keep a soda can from foam over is by letting it sit completely still for a few minutes before opening it.
Pepsi Omitted the Words “Under God” from the Pledge of Alligience
First, when the pledge was originally written, the words, “under God” were not included. Thus, if any company were to print the pledge that way, that company would be using the original. However, it was Dr. Pepper that introduced a redesigned can in 2001. The cans did not stay on shelves long as they were all gone by 2003. Each can had an image of the statue of liberty. On the image, the words, “One nation . . . indivisible” were written. There were never any more than these three words on the image.
Syringes Were Found in Cans of Pepsi
It is true that an elderly man found a syringe in a can of Diet Pepsi. However, that one is an odd case because the syringe was found only after the man poured his drink as he had gone back to look to see if he won a prize. Then, the can of Diet Pepsi also came from a 24 can pack of regular Pepsi. The syringe needle was also folded responsibly for how diabetics are taught to fold the needle of a syringe after it is used. It was after this happened that more people started to claim finding syringes as well as other odd things like needles and blobs of brown goo in their cans of Pepsi. All the claims that came after the elderly man’s claim were false. These people were only trying to get money from the company.
Mountain Dew Can Turn a Mouse Into a Jellylike Substance
It is gross, but it is true. If a mouse is soaked in Mountain Dew, it will turn into a jellylike substance. There should be no worries about mice in Mountain Dew cans, though. Soda cans are only open for 9/10s of a second. This would require a major screw up at the factory or an extremely fast mouse. Not even Speedy Gonzales is that fast.
