Here's one that I think will surprise some number theorists:

> **False belief.** Let $E$ be an elliptic curve over an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $p > 0$. Then $\operatorname{End}^\circ(E)$ is strictly larger than $\mathbb Q$.

While this is true for all elliptic curves defined over *finite* fields, most elliptic curves whose field of definition is transcendental over $\mathbb F_p$ have $\operatorname{End}^\circ(E) \cong \mathbb Q$. The extra automorphism on elliptic curves over a finite field comes from the geometric Frobenius. For varieties over larger fields, this is [not a thing][1].


  [1]: https://mathoverflow.net/a/30316/82179