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A couple more from astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson (1958 - ), from Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries:
A now-famous science fair experiment that tested antitechnology sentiments and associated chemical-phobia was conducted in 1997 by Nathan Zohner, a 14-year-old student at Eagle Rock Junior High School in Idaho. He invited people to sign a petition that demanded either strict control of, or a total ban on, dihydrogen monoxide. He listed some of the odious properties of this colorless and odorless substance:
• It is a major component in acid rain
• It eventually dissolves almost anything it comes in contact with
• It can kill if accidentally inhaled
• It can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
• It has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients
Forty-three out of 50 people approached by Zohner signed the petition, six were undecided, and one was a great supporter of dihydrogen monoxide and refused to sign. Yes, 86 percent of the passersby voted to ban water (H2O) from the environment.
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[W]hat nobler thought can one cherish than that the universe lives within us all?
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