Dew it yerself
October 9, 2007 4:07 PM   Subscribe

How to make Mountain Dew glow in the dark.

How do they dew it? Snopes is on the job with their first video format investigation.
posted by MtDewd (44 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
eponymeh
posted by allen.spaulding at 4:12 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]


The Snopes folk crack me up. "Behold the power of DARKNESS."
posted by divabat at 4:13 PM on October 9, 2007


What no Mentos?
posted by ericb at 4:13 PM on October 9, 2007


Err, but they don't. As the Snopes link points out, it's a wind-up. Otherwise, an unimpeachably superb post, sir. Truly flawless.
posted by RokkitNite at 4:15 PM on October 9, 2007


Pepsi® | Moutain Dew® Blue Glow! Err ... Mountain Dew® is a brand of PepsiCo., Inc.®
posted by ericb at 4:16 PM on October 9, 2007


Ya' know -- if you bite down on a Wintergreen Life Saver® in the dark, it will spark and glow-in-the-dark!
posted by ericb at 4:20 PM on October 9, 2007


Did I say "in the dark?"
posted by ericb at 4:25 PM on October 9, 2007


So let me try this... hmmm... lots of foam. Let me put the cap on...
AAAAH...MY FACE OW GOD MY FACE... WHY AM I TYPING THIS OUT WHEN THE MOUNTAIN DEW EXPLODED ON MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!!! WHY O WHY DID I DO THIS IN A GLASS BOTTLE!!!

I SHOULD GO TO A HOSPITAL INSTEAD OF TYPING.

AND THEN, AFTER BEING TREATED, I SHOULD HIRE A LAWYER AND SUE MOUNTAIN DEW, YOUTUBE, AND METAFILTER . IN THAT ORDER!!

MY GOD. MY FACE...
posted by tkchrist at 4:25 PM on October 9, 2007 [3 favorites]


Triboluminescence! While rare, glass mortar and pestle sets are not impossible to find. Grinding your Lifesaver in a dry environment will allow the reaction go on much longer than in your mouth, and you can see it much better, too.

Unlike the glowing Mountain Dew, this actually works.
posted by Tube at 4:31 PM on October 9, 2007 [2 favorites]


Yes, but will it blend?
posted by WolfDaddy at 4:31 PM on October 9, 2007


I thought Mountain Dew made YOU glow in the dark.
posted by Curry at 4:42 PM on October 9, 2007


That’s only in Soviet Russia.

I’m curious if you can make it glow on it’s way out. ‘Cause that’d help in hitting the bowl in the dark.
posted by Smedleyman at 4:45 PM on October 9, 2007


Dear Mr. MtDewd,

This letter is to inform you of legal action to be taken against you, and your company Mountain Dew, by me on behalf of the now wretchedly disfigured Mr. TKChrist.

Your irresponsible actions of posting a this mock "how to" IECD (Improvised Explosive Carbonated Device) has left my client unable to sip a delicious latte, or even turn his eyes to enjoy the beauty of a bra less candy bar heiress.

Your actions here were outrageous, egregious... preposterous!

I expect to see you in court.

Yours,

Jackie Chiles, Esq.
Law Firm of Chiles, Chiles, and Miles

PS. The rest of you are virtual witnesses to the mutilation of the dear, once lovely (on that you will have to take my word), TKChrist. At your depositions I expect you to dress fashionably, respectfully, and professionally.


posted by tkchrist at 4:46 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]


There is also a very slight amount of static discharge when you pull up a piece of tape. If you get your eyes fully darkness adjusted, you can see the thin line of sparks as you pull it off.
posted by nomisxid at 4:46 PM on October 9, 2007


The Snopes people sound just like they sound in my head.

"This could power a whole city with darkness."
posted by roll truck roll at 4:49 PM on October 9, 2007


I saw the glowing "Mountain Dew" on YouTube this morning, coincidentally. People fall for this?
posted by DU at 4:54 PM on October 9, 2007


tkchrist-
Just be glad there was hydrogen peroxide in the mix to disinfect your wounds.
posted by MtDewd at 5:01 PM on October 9, 2007


Disappointing. I had visions of huge vats of DIY cyalume in my front yard this Halloween.

Oh, who am I kidding, if I could get something that glowed that brightly, with that little effort, my fucking lawn would glow every night of the year.

Little kids would develop entire mythologies about what went on in my house.

"You know that guy with the creepy glowing front yard? They say it's radioactive waste from the zombie experiments he performs in his basement"

"I heard he was a scientist with the government, and it's some kind of nerve gas meant to kill off gofers and squirrels."

"Either way, we should definitely stay off his lawn."
posted by quin at 5:03 PM on October 9, 2007 [9 favorites]


Pepsi blew.
posted by dhartung at 5:08 PM on October 9, 2007


I want to know how to make myself glow in the dark... screw mountain dew.
posted by omnibrain at 5:14 PM on October 9, 2007


ZOMG! Mountain Dew powers the Steorn Orbo?!
posted by ...possums at 5:18 PM on October 9, 2007


"...wait, it's not done glowing yet..."

Hearing the voices of the Mikkelsons for the very first time is amazing, and undoubtably a small moment in internet history for many.

They sound as dryly sarcastic on video as they do in text. Awesome.

Thanks for Snopes, you two, even though you've undoubtably spoiled things for millions with your cold, hard facts. This Dew is for you!*

*Toast may not actually contain Mt. Dew, as it makes the teeth of the author of this comment hurt very, very badly and reminds him of painful, younger, and much more stupider times. Author may (shall, and did) substitute strong, black coffee for Mt. Dew. Said coffee is hand-brewed in a drip basket, ground from locally roasted beans. Said coffee is delicious and highly caffeinated, and sweet despite the lack of added sugars of any sort.

WARNING: IF THE SAID AUTHOR OF THIS COMMENT BEGINS VIBRATING, PLEASE HAND SAID AUTHOR A DOOB AND A JOYSTICK CONNECTED TO A MACHINE PLAYING TETRIS. SEEK SHELTER UNTIL VIBRATING AND/OR USE OF DANGEROUS POWER TOOLS CEASES. ARBITRARY MACHINE-ART CYBORGIFICATION OF INNOCENT BYSTANDERS IS LIKELY, AS IS TAUNTING, AS IS THE RAPID SPEAKING OF TONGUES SO TECHINICAL YOUR DAMN FOOL HEAD MIGHT TWIST RIGHT OFF.

CAUTION: IF SAID AUTHOR OF THIS COMMENT IS NOT VIBRATING, FEED HIM COFFEE, ASAP.

posted by loquacious at 5:46 PM on October 9, 2007


Also, more seriously:

Don't try this experiment at home. It seems like it was designed as a prank-hoax intended to blow up Mt. Dew bottles in people's faces.

There's no reason to screw the cap down tight and shake it up, chemically speaking, other than to trap the gas released by the Hydrogen Peroxide / Baking Soda mixture so that the bottle might blow up.

"Is it glowing, yet?"
"No, shake it more!"
*holds bottle close to face for easier viewing*
*bottle explodes*

Add more baking soda and peroxide, screw the cap on tight-tight and it *will* eventually explode. This is the same principle as a "dry ice bomb".


Which, Darwinistically speaking, is funny. One would have to willfully forget basic High School science about gases and chemical reactions and enclosed spaces to not think about the fact that the bottle is being pressurized by this mixture. But, hey, Barbara and David @Snopes fell for it, it seems, so there's probably not much hope.

I'll fully expect to see this on the news in a day or two. "INNOCENT CHILDREN ENDANGERED BY EXPLOSIVE INTERTUBES, FILM (ON YOUTUBE) AT 11!"

Man, I never thought I would say this, but I miss the days when kids just tried the stupidly wrong "recipies" from the Anarchist Cookbook and blew themselves the fuck up quietly at home, without video cameras to record it and post it to YouTube.

HEY KIDS? DID YOU KNOW THAT SODIUM AND WATER LOVE EACH OTHER? THEY DO! THEY LOVE EACH OTHER VERY MUCH! MIX 'EM TOGETHER AND FEEL THE EARTH MOVE AND THE FIREWORKS FLY!
posted by loquacious at 6:00 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]


"...once lovely..."

0.o

Since when?
posted by ZachsMind at 6:02 PM on October 9, 2007


Pfft. Glowing tomatoes are where it's at.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 6:08 PM on October 9, 2007


Watching too much Seinfeld lately, tk?
posted by miss lynnster at 6:42 PM on October 9, 2007


Nothing goes with glowing Mountain Dew like a fresh batch of Swedish Lemon Angels.
posted by 2sheets at 6:50 PM on October 9, 2007


Tonic water glows under a black light. Which makes the G&T an excellent rave drink.
posted by backseatpilot at 7:24 PM on October 9, 2007 [1 favorite]


Hmm... the wikipedia page for fluorescein sodium mentions that it also known as FD&C Yellow No. 6. Don't have any Mountain Filth handy but maybe there is something to this. The missing ingredient would be a blacklight (just saw your comment there backseatpilot)
posted by Astragalus at 8:02 PM on October 9, 2007


uh, that'd be D&C Yellow Nos. 7 and/or 8, and throw in an "is"...
posted by Astragalus at 8:06 PM on October 9, 2007


Electric pickle.
posted by Johnny Assay at 8:13 PM on October 9, 2007


Blacklight and cat-pee tend to glow pretty well - I was expecting one of these to be an ingredient in Mountain Dew already. Colour me surprised (and slightly glowing).
posted by ninazer0 at 8:32 PM on October 9, 2007


And here I was thinking it was all about making Mountain View glow in the dark.

Which would be nice.

*...me lived there back in the mid 80's*...
posted by Sk4n at 8:38 PM on October 9, 2007


Bartender, I'll have none of what MtDewd is drinking....
posted by LeLiLo at 8:39 PM on October 9, 2007


Green Necco wafers spark when you break them under the covers, as we discovered for ourselves while decommissioning our vast hoard of Halloween candy.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:27 PM on October 9, 2007


Don't get my hopes up like that just to dash them away with "Oh by and by, it's fake [snopes link]"

That's just cruel.
posted by Cyclopsis Raptor at 10:31 PM on October 9, 2007


I was on a bus and it was the middle of the night and I had some crackers and some Easy Cheese, but I could not see how much cheese I was applying to each cracker. So each bite into the cracker was a surprise as to how much Easy Cheese I had applied. That makes me believe they should have a glow-in-the-dark version of Easy Cheese. It's not like the product has any integrity to begin with. If you buy room temperature cheese that you squeeze out of a can, you probably won't get mad that it glows in the dark too. -- Mitch Hedberg
posted by jcruelty at 11:34 PM on October 9, 2007


awww, disappointed that's a hoax. It was so cool! Dang, evil to make a hoax that could be so lethal.

Loved learning about the triboluminescence though.
posted by nickyskye at 11:52 PM on October 9, 2007


So when is someone coming out with the video that shows how the bastards (who lied about how to make a mountain dew bottle glow) actually made it glow? Like when that guy solved rubik's cube with his feet, or those guys were catching sunglasses with their faces, and we found out it was just reverse camera trickery. I know they probably popped open a glow stick and switched out the bottles in editing, but i still wanna see a video that shows that.
posted by ZachsMind at 12:06 AM on October 10, 2007


Nah, the hoax isn't going to be lethal. Bottles are pretty tough, this reaction is pretty weak and you don't put much in.

What'll happen is that you imitate the instructions, nothing happens, you open the bottle and it squirts you in the face and then you catch on.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 12:33 AM on October 10, 2007


ah, peroxide in the eyes. Fun fun fun.
posted by nickyskye at 7:16 AM on October 10, 2007


IT'S NOT FAKE UNTIL ASAVAGE SAYS IT IS
posted by Smart Dalek at 10:17 AM on October 10, 2007


I was so bummed when I opened up the post and found out it wasn't real. I totally was going to try it.
posted by whoaali at 6:41 PM on October 10, 2007


Astragalus writes "the wikipedia page for fluorescein sodium mentions that it also known as FD&C Yellow No. 6. Don't have any Mountain Filth handy but maybe there is something to this. The missing ingredient would be a blacklight (just saw your comment there backseatpilot)"

Except the extra dew poured into the plastic cup doesn't glow.
posted by Mitheral at 9:50 PM on October 15, 2007


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