A WWII Propaganda Campaign Popularized the Myth That Carrots Help You See in the Dark
A WWII Propaganda Campaign Popularized the Myth That Carrots Help You See in the Dark
How a ruse to keep German pilots confused gave the Vitamin-A-rich vegetable too much credit
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When radar was still classified, Brits claimed they could see the planes because they are a lot of carrots.
It didn't fool the axis, but civilians in Britain kind of believed it.
It's hard to tell, they're always saying something with a wink and a nod.
They might not have known what radar was, but they knew no amount of carrots made that big of difference, it's not like the English had never ate carrots before.
My favorite thing to come from this myth is this Bill Plympton short:
that man is a national treasure.
But carrots cannot help you see better in the dark any more than eating blueberries will turn you blue.
Brb. Going out for blueberries
Carrots will turn you orange though.
Yeah it was in an episode of the Magic School Bus and everything!
Violet, you’re turning violet!
Violent, you're turning violent
Carrots don't even have Vitamin A in the proper form. They have vitamin A precursors that your body can use to make vitamin A. If you want actual vitamin A you find it in liver
*Downvoted by what I'm guessing are vegans.
Well, let's face it... the Brits were really good at spreading this kind of propaganda - people in my own family bought into this "carrots help your night vision" stuff even back in the 80s.
I mean, if Biritsh propagandists are to be believed you'd think they were the only people on the planet to ever think of building an airplane out of wood...
I knew this to be true and still told my kid to eat their carrots for better night vision, because it made them eat their carrots. We do what we must in the trenches.
I just tell them the carrots will make them big and powerful. Which is technically true for all healthy food.
Just the way grues like it.
