Common survival myths that are actually dangerous
Rubbing frostbitten skin: Frostbite occurs when ice crystals form in your skin and other tissues.
Drinking liquor will warm you up: Actually, liquor is the last drink you need in a cold-weather survival scenario.
A big fire beats a shelter: While large fires have kept people alive in the cold, you can't afford to skip building a shelter.
You’ll never get lost with a GPS: You should always take a GPS unit with you into the backcountry.
You can eat anything animals eat: Despite our shared biology, we can't always eat what animals eat.
All base layers work equally well: This is actually not true. For example, cotton can lead to hypothermia.
Jump into water to escape from bees: You might think jumping into a nearby lake is a good way to escape from a swarm of bees.
You can suck the venom out of a snakebite: This technique is a big no-no. The venom will immediately enter the bloodstream.
Moss grows on the north side of trees: The truth is moss can grow on all sides of a tree.
If a shark attacks you, punch it in the nose: Let's be real: it's really hard to land a solid punch on the nose of a moving shark, especially in water.