The dihydrogen monoxide parody is a parody that involves calling water by an unfamiliar chemical name, usually "dihydrogen monoxide" (DHMO), and listing some of water's properties in a particularly alarming manner, such as accelerating corrosion ( rust) and causing suffocation ( drowning). It often calls for dihydrogen monoxide to be banned, regulated, or labeled as dangerous. It plays into chemophobia and demonstrates how a lack of scientific literacy and an exaggerated analysis can lead to misplaced fears. The parody has been used with other chemical names for water, such as hydrogen hydroxide, dihydrogen oxide, and hydric acid. It is also used in many prank shows to scare people as they think it is a lethal acid.
In 1983 on April Fools' Day, an edition of the Durand Express, a weekly newspaper in Durand, Michigan, reported that "dihydrogen oxide" had been found in the city's water pipes, and warned that it was fatal if inhaled, and could produce blistering vapors. [1] The first appearance of the parody on the Internet was attributed to the "Coalition to Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide", [2] [3] a parody organization at the University of California, Santa Cruz following on-campus postings and newsgroup discussions in 1990.[ citation needed]
This new version of the parody was created by housemates while attending UC Santa Cruz, in 1990, revised by Craig Jackson in 1994, [3] and was published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact in March 1996. [4] It received 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?" [5]
Jackson's original site included the following warning: [6]
Dihydrogen monoxide:
- is also known as hydroxyl acid, and is the major component of acid rain.
- contributes to the " greenhouse effect".
- may cause severe burns.
- contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
- accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
- may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.
- has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.
Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:
- as an industrial solvent and coolant.
- in nuclear power plants.
- in the production of styrofoam.
- as a fire retardant.
- in many forms of cruel animal research.
- in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical.
- as an additive in certain "junk-foods" and other food products.
A mock material safety data sheet has also been created for DHMO. [7] [8]
The water molecule has the chemical formula H2O, meaning the molecule is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Literally, the term "dihydrogen monoxide" means "two hydrogen, one oxygen": the prefix di- in dihydrogen means "two", the prefix mono- in monoxide means "one", and " oxide" designates oxygen in a compound (the consecutive o's that would occur in "monooxide" are combined into one). [9]
Using chemical nomenclature, other names for water include: hydrogen oxide; hydrogen hydroxide, which characterises it as a base; and several designating it as an acid, such as hydric acid or hydroxyl acid. The term used in the original text, hydroxyl acid, is a non- standard name. [10]
Under the 2005 revisions of IUPAC nomenclature of inorganic chemistry, there is no single correct name for every compound. [11] The primary function of chemical nomenclature is to ensure that each name refers, unambiguously, to a single substance. It is considered less important to ensure that each substance should have a single unambiguous name, although the number of acceptable names is limited. [11] Water is one acceptable name for this compound, even though it is neither a systematic nor an international name and is specific to just one phase of the compound (its liquid form). The other IUPAC recommendation is oxidane. [12]
The dihydrogen monoxide parody is a parody that involves calling water by an unfamiliar chemical name, usually "dihydrogen monoxide" (DHMO), and listing some of water's properties in a particularly alarming manner, such as accelerating corrosion ( rust) and causing suffocation ( drowning). It often calls for dihydrogen monoxide to be banned, regulated, or labeled as dangerous. It plays into chemophobia and demonstrates how a lack of scientific literacy and an exaggerated analysis can lead to misplaced fears. The parody has been used with other chemical names for water, such as hydrogen hydroxide, dihydrogen oxide, and hydric acid. It is also used in many prank shows to scare people as they think it is a lethal acid.
In 1983 on April Fools' Day, an edition of the Durand Express, a weekly newspaper in Durand, Michigan, reported that "dihydrogen oxide" had been found in the city's water pipes, and warned that it was fatal if inhaled, and could produce blistering vapors. [1] The first appearance of the parody on the Internet was attributed to the "Coalition to Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide", [2] [3] a parody organization at the University of California, Santa Cruz following on-campus postings and newsgroup discussions in 1990.[ citation needed]
This new version of the parody was created by housemates while attending UC Santa Cruz, in 1990, revised by Craig Jackson in 1994, [3] and was published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact in March 1996. [4] It received 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?" [5]
Jackson's original site included the following warning: [6]
Dihydrogen monoxide:
- is also known as hydroxyl acid, and is the major component of acid rain.
- contributes to the " greenhouse effect".
- may cause severe burns.
- contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
- accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
- may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.
- has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.
Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:
- as an industrial solvent and coolant.
- in nuclear power plants.
- in the production of styrofoam.
- as a fire retardant.
- in many forms of cruel animal research.
- in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical.
- as an additive in certain "junk-foods" and other food products.
A mock material safety data sheet has also been created for DHMO. [7] [8]
The water molecule has the chemical formula H2O, meaning the molecule is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Literally, the term "dihydrogen monoxide" means "two hydrogen, one oxygen": the prefix di- in dihydrogen means "two", the prefix mono- in monoxide means "one", and " oxide" designates oxygen in a compound (the consecutive o's that would occur in "monooxide" are combined into one). [9]
Using chemical nomenclature, other names for water include: hydrogen oxide; hydrogen hydroxide, which characterises it as a base; and several designating it as an acid, such as hydric acid or hydroxyl acid. The term used in the original text, hydroxyl acid, is a non- standard name. [10]
Under the 2005 revisions of IUPAC nomenclature of inorganic chemistry, there is no single correct name for every compound. [11] The primary function of chemical nomenclature is to ensure that each name refers, unambiguously, to a single substance. It is considered less important to ensure that each substance should have a single unambiguous name, although the number of acceptable names is limited. [11] Water is one acceptable name for this compound, even though it is neither a systematic nor an international name and is specific to just one phase of the compound (its liquid form). The other IUPAC recommendation is oxidane. [12]