Keep the following study in mind the next time you hear a news report touting the latest environmental threat.
A junior high student in Idaho won first prize at a science fair for asking 50 people if they supported banning "dihydrogen monoxide." The student listed several reasons for banning the chemical. They included the fact that it is a major part of acid rain, could cause severe burns in a gaseous state, and contributes to the deaths of thousands of people each year. Of the 50 people, 43 supported a ban and 6 were undecided. Only one knew that the substance was… water.
Like many of the "scientific" findings reported in the media, all of the facts presented about the characteristics of water were true - they just were not presented in context.
This experiment speaks volumes about the public's gullibility when it comes to matters of science. Today, more than ever, the public is willing to believe that everything they touch, smell and eat causes health problems. In this environment even serving a glass of water to a guest can be controversial…
