Polywater

Year: 1966 - 1971

In the sixties, the scientific community was abuzz with the discovery of ‘polywater’, a new form of water with remarkable properties. It was first discovered by a Soviet scientist, who let ordinary water pass and condense in fine tubes, creating a dense liquid that evaporated and froze at unusually low temperatures.

The properties of the new liquid promised groundbreaking advancements in chemistry and other fields. Driven by the Cold War’s spirit of technological competition, the finding sparked interest in the United States and scientists across the globe rushed to replicate polywater. Many replications succeeded, but slowly, inconsistencies appeared in the results. After more than one hundred articles had been published, the disappointing truth came out. Polywater is normal water contaminated with the researchers’ sweat.

The story of polywater shows how researchers can fail collectively when there is a shared sense of excitement and a potentially career-changing discovery to be made. But it also serves as a reminder of the self-correcting nature of science. By learning from (methodological) mistakes, science advances and refines our understanding of the natural world.

Read about the story of polywater here and here.