14 Familiar Things That We’ve Been Classifying All Wrong
![14 Familiar Things That We’ve Been Classifying All Wrong](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/4/6/890846_320x180.jpg)
Ah, the mysteries of the world! It seems like every day we’re discovering something new about the creatures and phenomena that inhabit our planet, and not always in a way that reduces our confusion. From the ancient pterodactyls to the elusive black panthers, from the misunderstood coffee bean to the mysterious giant kelp, there are so many things that we thought we knew, but are actually something else entirely.
And so, in the spirit of exploration and discovery, I present to you this list of fifteen things that we thought we knew, but are actually something else entirely. From the surprising truth about corn to the Supreme Court’s decision on tomatoes, these facts are sure to surprise and delight you. So, without further ado, let us embark on this brief yet hopefully memorable journey of discovery and uncover the truth about these things that we thought we knew, but are actually something else entirely.
Rarely spotted: black panthers.
![PANTHERS ARE NOT A SPECIES. A black panther is just a black-furred leopard, jaguar, or puma. Basically, the word has no biological meaning. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/3/3/890233.jpg)
Climbing experts, not job titles.
![SHERPA IS NOT A JOB. The Sherpa people from Nepal are well-known for their mountaineering skills and friendly attitude. It's not a job title, though - it's simply an ethnicity. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/4/4/890244.jpg)
Tomatoes: veggies now.
![TOMATOES ARE LEGALLY VEGETABLES. Tomatoes are, in fact, fruits - but the Supreme Court decided in 1893 that they're to be considered vegetables, not fruits, when it comes to taxes. GRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/4/3/890243.jpg)
Ancient, winged, not dinosaurs.
![PTERODACTYLS WERE NOT DINOSAURS. Pterodactyls were an ancient type of reptile that had wings, and were not actually dinosaurs. They lived from the late Triassic Period to the end of the Cretaceous Period, and were the first creatures to be able to fly after insects. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/4/1/890241.jpg)
Quack-tastic!
![DUCK MEAT IS ACTUALLY RED MEAT. It can be a good option if you're looking for something different than beef or pork. It has a great flavor and color, plus it has fewer calories and more iron and protein than other red meat. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/3/5/890235.jpg)
Nuts: not legumes.
![PEANUTS ARE LEGUMES, NOT NUTS. Nuts are dry fruits with a single seed inside, like acorns, black walnuts, and pecans. Peanuts and almonds are actually legumes, while pine nuts are edible seeds from pine trees. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/4/0/890240.jpg)
Leather-clad luxury.
![CRACKED CORINTHIAN LEATHER IS NOT A TYPE OF LEATHER. In 1974, an ad agency coined the name to describe the high-quality leather used in Chrysler car seats. That's it - it's just a marketing gimmick, not a formally defined type of leather at all.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/3/7/890237.jpg)
Giant kelp: not a plant.
![GIANT KELP ISN'T A PLANT. It's actually a really big brown algae that belong to the Protista kingdom. It's the biggest protist in the world, and can grow to be over 100 feet tall. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/3/4/890234.jpg)
Corn: Have it your way.
![CRACKED CORN IS A GRAIN, A VEGETABLE, AND A FRUIT. It's packed with carbs, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and can be ground into flour, made into syrup, or eaten right off the cob. Basically, it really is a bit of everything, and is super versatile.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/3/9/890239.jpg)
Beans, schmeans.
![COFFEE ISN'T ACTUALLY A BEAN. It's the seed of the fruit that grows on coffee trees. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/3/2/890232.jpg)
Fruit-y Nuts!
![CASHEWS AREN'T NUTS. Cashews and some other types of nuts that you might find in the kitchen aren't actually nuts - they're called drupes, which are fruits that have a soft outer layer and a hard shell inside that covers the seed. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/3/0/890230.jpg)
Ouch!
![THE FUNNY BONE IS A NERVE, NOT A BONE. When you hit your elbow, you might feel a tingling sensation that goes down your arm and into your fingers. That's because you've hit the ulnar nerve, which runs through the cubital tunnel in your arm. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/3/8/890238.jpg)
Chilly, but dry.
![ANTARCTICA IS A DESERT. The Antarctic Polar Desert is the biggest desert on Earth, stretching over an area of 5.5 million square miles. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/3/6/890236.jpg)
Fruits, vegetables, same difference.
![FRUITS ARE VEGETABLES. Botanists don't use the word vegetable, because it's not part of their language. What we call vegetables are actually fruits, stalks, flowers, leaves, bulbs, and roots from plants. Nothing is real, basically. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/3/1/890231.jpg)