Dihydrogen monoxide parody
Parody where water is presented by an uncommon name
Summary
The dihydrogen monoxide parody involves referring to water by its unfamiliar chemical systematic name "dihydrogen monoxide" (DHMO) and describing some properties of water in a particularly concerning manner – such as its ability to accelerate corrosion (rust) and cause suffocation (drowning) – often calling for it to be banned, regulated strictly, or labeled as a hazardous chemical. 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.
Originally created by Watcher
4/28/2004, 2:00:34 PM
Modified
5/4/2026, 1:28:28 AM
Recent revisions
/* Notable older uses */ is it notable though?
fix typo ([[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:Jon Harald Søby/diffedit|diffedit]])
/* Public use */ Rewording image caption
Oxford comma (different place).
Oxford comma.
Redundant: e.g., drowning is lethal
Move up motivation to 1st paragraph
Not to cause a [[moral panic]]
DHMO is plain old ordinary water (H2O) with a deliberately misleading — but technically accurate — name
Parody is a parody — redundant
/* External links */Link to Snopes article
Changed wording, omitted mention of “prank shows” with no description or source.
/* Public use */Filled in the date
Standardise list-defined references format ([[Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval/DreamRimmer bot II 6|bot]])
Common knowledge that H2O is water
/* Molecular terminology and naming conventions */ Copy edit ▸ Grammar ▸ Punctuation.
/* top */ change spaced em dashes to spaced en dashes
/* Notable older uses */ Adding a bit more detail on this reference.
