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Stardate 20011025.1253 (On Screen via long range sensors): Dihyrogen Monoxide (DHMO) is a noxious chemical; it is the primary component of toxic wastes issued by chemical processing facilities and equally makes up the majority of untreated sewage. An overdose of DHMO can interfere with our ability to breath, and tens of thousands of people around the world (and thousands here in the US) die from DHMO overdose every year. It is a component of acid rain and is used heavily in nuclear power plants and nuclear submarines, especially the ones which carry ICBMs such as the US Ohio class SSBNs. It's a major component of injected Heroin, which is responsible for destroying lives all over the world. It is required to activate Sulfuric Acid; without it Sulfuric Acid is harmless; mixed with DHMO it becomes a deadly corrosive agent.

It's water.

The Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division is one of the best hoax sites on the web. If you keep a straight face and pretend you don't know what they're talking about, they actually make a pretty darned good case for how dangerous the stuff is, and why it should be banned (or perhaps only issued with a doctor's prescription). It's actually a take on how research and scientific innuendo is used by some anti-technology activists; for instance, it bears a striking resemblance to the kinds of arguments some people use to try to prove that cell phones are dangerous (and that a cell tower shouldn't be put up in their neighborhood because it will give all their children leukemia). Once in a while someone gets taken in by the DHMO hoax, though. It's always sweet when this happens.

A man named Phil Gully sent mail to the Green Party in New Zealand describing to them this horrible chemical and asking for their support in banning it. Sue Kedgley's office replied, saying it was sure the Greens would support such a ban. Which of course asks the question: why are these people trying to set environmental and industrial policy when it is clear they have no clue at all? (discuss)