The myth that carrots improve your eyesight comes from WWII.

World History

C arrots offer many health benefits, but improved eyesight isn't one of them. The myth that superhuman vision is attainable if your diet resembles that of Peter Rabbit persists all the same, and it has a surprising origin: World War II.

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By the Numbers

Pounds of carrots the average American eats per year

10.6

Tons of surplus carrots produced in England in 1942

100,000

Did you know?

"Radar" is an anacronym.

The term "RADAR" was originally coined as an acronym that stood for "radio detection and ranging," but like certain other acronyms it eventually came to be treated as an uncapitalized common noun. This is an example of an anacronym, which occurs when an acronym is used so often as to become a word itself. Other examples include "laser" (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation), "scuba" (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus), and "taser" (Thomas A. Swift's electric rifle) — all of which, perhaps not coincidentally, were novel technologies that proved so successful, they became a part of everyday life.