Dihydrogen monoxide parody

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Dihydrogen monoxide is a name for the water molecule, which comprises two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom (
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H2O). Water molecule (1).svg
Dihydrogen monoxide is a name for the water molecule, which comprises two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom (H2O).

The dihydrogen monoxide parody is a parody that involves referring to water by its unfamiliar chemical systematic name "dihydrogen monoxide" (DHMO, or the chemical formula H2O) and describing some properties of water in a particularly concerning manner — such as the ability to accelerate corrosion (rust) and cause suffocation (drowning) — for the purpose of encouraging alarmism among the audience to often incite a moral panic calling for water to be banned, regulated strictly or labeled as a hazardous chemical. Occasionally, reports also reference its widespread contamination of rivers or municipal water supplies. The parody has also involved other uncommon chemical nomenclatures for water such as "hydrogen hydroxide", "dihydrogen oxide" and "hydric acid", used in many prank shows to scare people into thinking that it is a lethal or corrosive substance.

Contents

The motivation behind the parody is to play into chemophobia, and to demonstrate how exaggerated analysis, information overload and a lack of scientific literacy can lead to misplaced fears.

History

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 as "dihydrogen monoxide" 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]

Molecular terminology and naming conventions

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]

Public use

Tongue-in-cheek warning sign in Louisville, Kentucky Danger sign hydrogen.jpg
Tongue-in-cheek warning sign in Louisville, Kentucky

Notable older uses

See also

References

  1. "April Fool's Day, 1983". Museum of Hoaxes. Archived from the original on April 18, 2001. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  2. Roddy, Dennis B. (April 19, 1997). "Internet-inspired prank lands 4 teens in hot water". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kruszelnicki, Karl S. (May 17, 2006). "Mysterious killer chemical". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on November 18, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  4. Anonymous, "Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide!", Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Vol. 116, No. 4, March 1996, p. 74.
  5. 1 2 3 Mikkelson, David (December 12, 2017). "Is Dihydrogen Monoxide Dangerous?". Snopes.com. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  6. 1 2 Jackson, Craig (1994). "Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide!". Coalition to ban DHMO. Archived from the original on October 31, 1996. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  7. "DHMO Material Safety Data Sheet". Improbable Research. March 24, 2010. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  8. "Material Safety Sheet – DiHydrogen Monoxide" (PDF). DHMO.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 31, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  9. Van Bramer, S. E. (1996). "Chemical Nomenclature". Archived from the original on October 18, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  10. "About Water". Bluelake Technologies. Archived from the original on March 8, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  11. 1 2 "Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry: IUP Recommendations 2005" (PDF). 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  12. Leigh, G. J.; Favre, H.A.; Metanomski, W.V. (1998). Principles of Chemical Nomenclature: A Guide to IUPAC Recommendations (PDF). UK: Blackwell Science Ltd. p. 99. ISBN   0-86542-685-6. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  13. 1 2 Halford, Bethany. "Danger! H in H2O". Chemical & Engineering News . Vol. 84, no. 43. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  14. "Contamination Warning!" (PDF). UC Santa Cruz. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  15. "Hydrogen Hydroxide: Now More Than Ever!". Armory.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  16. Glassman, James K. (October 10, 1997). "Dihydrogen Monoxide: Unrecognized Killer". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  17. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg "Press Kit". DHMO.org. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  18. "Campaign launched against dihydrogen monoxide". Deutsche Presse-Agentur. April 1, 1998.
  19. "Greens Support Ban On Water!". Scoop Independent News. October 25, 2001. Archived from the original on December 13, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  20. 1 2 Gnad, Megan (September 14, 2007). "MP tries to ban water". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on November 26, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  21. Dave (June 5, 2012). "Neal Boortz to Hang Up the Headphones". Fellowship Of The Minds. Archived from the original on November 26, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  22. "Environmental Hysteria". Penn & Teller: Bullshit!. Season 1. Episode 13. April 18, 2003.
  23. "Local officials nearly fall for H2O hoax". NBCNews.com . March 15, 2004. Archived from the original on November 26, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  24. "Questions And Answers - Wednesday, 12 September 07". Scoop. September 13, 2007. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  25. "PDF file of related correspondence" (PDF). Scoop. September 13, 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  26. "Regina-qu'appelle mp tables legislation to ban dihydrogen monoxide". April 1, 2009. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  27. "Pitäisikö lakia tiukentaa vetyhapon saatavuuden ja käytön osalta?" (in Finnish). Sosiaalinen Vaalikone. February 25, 2011. Archived from the original on May 29, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  28. "Florida DJs Are Off the Hook for Their Successful April Fool's Prank". The Atlantic Wire. April 3, 2013. Archived from the original on November 26, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  29. "Presenters suspended for April Fool hoax". Radio Today. April 1, 2013. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  30. "2 radio personalities suspended due to April Fools' Day prank". WFTV. April 2, 2013. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  31. 王詩涵; 張春峰. "武陵農場蘋果遭偷摘 化學式嚇阻". 華視新聞網 (in Chinese). Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  32. Stranger in a Strange Land. 1961. p. chapter "xi", first paragraph, last sentence. [..] in the cases of the third and fourth planets their surface temperatures cycled around the freezing point of hydrogen monoxide [..]