Dihydrogen monoxide hoax
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihydrogen_monoxide_hoax [wsmile]
Dihydrogen monoxide hoax
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The logo of DHM
rg, primary current residence of the dihydrogen monoxide hoaxDihydrogen monoxide (DHMO) is a scientific name for water that is relatively unknown to most of the public, used in hoaxes that illustrate how the lack of scientific knowledge and an exaggerated analysis can lead to misplaced fears. "Di" meaning two, and "Mono" meaning single, describes how water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom (H2O).
The hoax involves listing strictly negative effects of water, such as erosion or drowning, attributing them to "dihydrogen monoxide", and then asking individuals to help control the seemingly dangerous substance. The negative aspects, while real, are disguised from their more commonly known forms.
It was apparently created by Eric Lechner, Lars Norpchen and Matthew Kaufman (housemates while attending UC Santa Cruz in 1989), revised by Craig Jackson in 1994, and brought to widespread public attention in 1997, when Nathan Zohner, a 14-year-old student, gathered petitions to ban "DHMO" as the basis of his science project, titled "How Gullible Are We?"[1]