The Truth about Dihydrogen Monoxide

What they want you to think: Dihydrogen Monoxide is a dangerous chemical. 

More specifically:

1. is also known as hydroxl acid, and is the major component of acid rain.
2. contributes to the "greenhouse effect."
3. may cause severe burns.
4. contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
5. accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
6. may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.
7. has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.

8. A buildup of Dihydrogen Monoxide in the lungs will cause death.

You are warned not to breath or ingest this potentially lethal drug.

The Truth: O.K. several of you may have received an email about this one (I have received a few myself).  First lets break down the chemical name. "dihydrogen", that means h₂ and "monoxide" is O. Putting those together you get H₂0, you guessed it, just plain water.  Someone took advantage of an ignorant public and created a stir.  I mean everyone believed that there was this super-chemical that could kill us all.  Now all the points above are valid.  Acid rain is water that has a heightened Ph level due to pollution. Also water only contains hydroxl acid when it is a component of acid rain, not at any other time.  Water is also a component of the greenhouse effect.  Boiling water can cause severe burns. Water beating on rock or shores will cause them to erode over a long period of time.  Water does cause oxidation of certain ungalvanized metals, leading to the release of a chemical Fe0₂, or iron oxide (commonly known as rust). Its common sense that water and electricity don't mix, so I don't need to explain it.  You've probably all tried to brake after a heavy rain and realize that they don't grab as quickly, because they are wet.  Water is common is cancerous tumors, also common in pimples and blisters.  Finally if water builds up in your lungs, you will probably die, because a buildup of water in the lungs that is not expelled will lead to drowning.  Water is safe to inhale, its nothing more than water vapor. If you stand over a boiling pot of water and taken a whiff, you know that the rumor of water being dangerous to inhale is false.  You're still here reading this article aren't you?  Now ingesting water is a different story.  Water that has been tainted with various chemicals or waterborne diseases is dangerous to drink. Normal city tap water does have chemicals like fluorine or a little chlorine to kill bacteria, but it is safe to drink (although personally I like my tap water chilled in the fridge for a few hours). Another name for dihydrogen monoxide is: hydrogen hyoxide.

Final Summation: Dihydrogen Monoxide is not a dangerous chemical, it is nothing more than plain ol' water.  While you may need to exercise caution with water depending on what you are doing, water is a perfectly safe chemical compound.

note: The Truth Commission does not condone scaring the shit out of people with myths of the dangers of DHMO.  While in situations of floods and raging rivers water can be dangerous, I think we can muster a little common sense huh...people?