Skip to content

Dihydrogen Monoxide Mystery Cache

Hidden : 7/2/2009
Difficulty:
4 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:


The cache is NOT at the above co-ordinates.

For many years, the term "dihydrogen monoxide" has been used to fool people into believing that a familiar and every day substance - one that is vital to life on earth - should be banned.

This hoax seeks to illustrate how the lack of scientific knowledge can cause people to fear something without fully understanding what it is they actually fear.

DHMO is just one of the scientific names given to this familiar substance, others being hydrogen oxide, hydrogen hydroxide, hydroxlic acid and oxidane. All sound somewhat scary and foreign until we're actually told what it is.

To solve this cache, you need to look at the below diagram and separate the DH from the MO in each of the four beakers.

Scientifically, this experiment should really be performed at 4° Celsius as this is when DHMO is at its most dense. This will help to reveal the co-ordinates of the cache.

It will be located at S35°MO E149°DH


Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Lbh bayl arrq fbyir gur chmmyr sbe gjb bs gur ornxref. Gur bgure gjb ner gurer gb vaqvpngr eryngvir "cynpvat" bs gur pnpur. Vfynaqref va ovxvavf ner fbzrgvzrf jbegu jnvgvat sbe. Ohg qba'g ybbx gbb uneq ng gurve svtherf. Fbzrgvzrf jr ybbx gbb uneq sbe gur cresrpg svther jura ebhaq barf ner cresrpgyl npprcgnoyr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)