The Vegetable That Won the War: Carrots and Night Vision

" Eat your carrots, they'll help you see better in the dark."

 "Eat your carrots or you'll soon need glasses."

If you were born somewhere after the second world war (which I am assuming is the case for most, if not all of you, dear readers), chances are that you've heard this line from your mother, gran or guardian at least a few times. Carrots have long been linked with enhanced vision: scientific studies have proven that carrots are indeed a bountiful source of beta carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, and that treatment with vitamin A supplements was effective at reversing impaired vision. 

Mighty as this vitamin is though, over time its' beneficial effects have been exaggerated to mythic proportions. "Night Vision" or the ability to see in the dark, is often attributed to vitamin A, or rather to the primary source of vitamin A in the layman's diet, i.e., carrots. While most modern myths start out as rumors that spread among the uninformed like unchecked contagion, the origins of this myth can be traced back to that most persuasive source of questionable information: the British propaganda machine. 

World War two is renowned as the most sanguinary conflict in human history. Europe crumbled under the martial might of Nazi Germany, the island nation of Britain being the last allied nation yet to pass under their yoke. With their backs to the wall prior to the United States being drawn into the fray, Great Britian was forced to ration its' food supply and invest in technological advancements related to military science. In the face of relentless Luftwaffe attacks, the British enforced blackouts at night, affecting the Luftwaffe pilots' visibility.... while also giving the Royal Air Force a chance to strike back. Unknown to the Germans, the RAF had developed the Airborne Interception Radar, a powerful tool for the air force to locate and eliminate Luftwaffe bombers. 

Information is power, and to make sure their side maintained the advantage Britain's government informed the local newspapers that the success of the RAF's ace pilots was due to their voracious appetites for carrots. The newspapers, already working at full capacity to maintain morale, immediately publicized the ruse, publishing ads related to the carrot's marvelous ability to confer night vision. 

The war eventually drew to a close and the United Kingdom still remains a relatively influential nation in the 21st century. But it is in the lasting effects of their imperial propaganda that one may truly see just how well the creators of the human language mastered its' use for human communication. 

So, the next time you pick up a carrot, remember that it'll keep your eyes healthy but won't give you any powers that would warrant a spot on the next X-Men roster. And while you're at it, question all those facts you've taken for granted, for you never know which one of them is really a myth in disguise.