You've probably heard it a million time: "Bundle up or you'll catch a cold!"
But can the cold actually make you sick?
The answer is no — viruses and germs get you sick, but not the cold weather.
But it totally seems believable because fall and winter are also flu season.
The reason why the myth prevails, according to Rohr, is because you're most likely to contract the common cold (rhinovirus), the flu, and other bugs in the fall and winter when cooler temperatures make it easier for viruses to survive and spread. But they still need to be transmitted between two people.
"I think the myth really comes from earlier generations who had a fear of catching polio, which could come from contaminated water outside," says Rohr. That's probably why grandma always nags you to wear fifty scarves.