The History of Chemistry

140: Chemical Paranoia


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We start with the first chemical conspiracy theory from 1996, "chemtrails." Then we move to another popular chemical hoax, "alkaline water" somehow being healthy for you. Related to that are the bizarre "hexagonal water" and water memory ideas. Other creative pseudochemical hoaxes are denial of global warming and the gasoline pill, creating fuel from non-fuel with merely a pill in your liquid. There is the fun cryogenically-cooled audio cable hoax (if you are into high-fidelity audio). There was the truly harmful radioactive bed scandal in Korea. Finally I offer some clues to detecting such hoaxes and scams.

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The History of ChemistryBy Steve Cohen

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