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The dihydrogen monoxide hoax involves calling water by the unfamiliar chemical name "dihydrogen monoxide" (DHMO), and listing some of water's effects in an alarming manner, such as the fact that it accelerates corrosion and can cause severe burns. The hoax often calls for dihydrogen monoxide to be regulated, labeled as hazardous, or banned. It illustrates how the lack of scientific literacy and an exaggerated analysis can lead to misplaced fears.〔.〕 The hoax gained renewed popularity in the late 1990s when a 14-year-old student collected anti-DHMO petitions for a science project about gullibility.〔 The story has since been used in science education to encourage critical thinking, and avoid the appeal to nature. == History == A 1983 April Fools' Day 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. The first appearance of the hoax on the internet was attributed by the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' to the so-called "Coalition to Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide",〔 a parody organization started by UC Santa Cruz student Craig Jackson following the on-campus postings and initial newsgroup discussions. This new version of the hoax was created by Eric Lechner, Lars Norpchen, and Matthew Kaufman—housemates while attending the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1989, revised by 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?"〔(Dihydrogen Monoxide ) from Urban Legends Reference Pages, retrieved 2006-09-25.〕 Jackson's original site included the following warning:
A mock material safety data sheet—a list of information about potentially dangerous materials used in research and industry—has also been created for H2O.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=DHMO Material Safety Data Sheet )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Material Safety Sheet – DiHydrogen Monoxide )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Dihydrogen monoxide hoax」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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