In 1998, a Valencian professor made an amazing claim. Professor Antonio Cervilla discovered how to use water as a substitute for petrol. The scientist said that you could drive from Bilbao to Valencia on just half a litre of water. His invention uses a molybdenum compound to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen. Unlike other methods, no electricity is required and the reaction happens at atmospheric temperature. This impressive technology is based on the way plant enzymes break down water. The use of molybdenum is the perfect choice because, although rare, it is cheap and found all around the planet.

 Since the claims were made, nothing more has been heard about this fabulous technology. There is no explanation for the disappearance anywhere on the internet, apart from a list of similar inventions which have also vanished. An inventor from the Philipines called Daniel Dingel developed a water-fuelled car but was arrested and sentenced to 20 years in prison. If this technology were to become widely available, it would prove disastrous for petrol station owners and would also save the planet from the impending environmental catastrophes being caused by pollution.

THE STORY OF COCA-COLA

Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 by John Pemberton, a druggist living in Atlanta. The original drink was a type of syrup, using coca leaves, sugar and cola nuts, plus a few other secret ingredients! Pemberton sold it as a medicine; and with its coca (the source of cocaine), it must have made people feel good!

Nevertheless, Pemberton’s medicine was not very successful, so he sold his secret formula to another druggist, Asa Candler. Candler was interested, because he had another idea that Pemberton’s “medicine” would be much better if it was mixed with soda. Candler was thus the man who really invented the drink Coca-Cola. Candler also advertised his new drink, and soon people were going to drugstores just to get a drink of Coca-Cola.

Before long, other people became interested in the product, including a couple of businessmen who wanted to sell it in bottles. Candler sold them a licence to bottle the drink, and very quickly the men became millionaires. The famous bottle, with its very distinctive shape, was designed in 1916. And the famous Coca-Cola logo is the most famous logo in the world. Unlike any other famous commercial logos, it has not changed in 100 years!

During the First World War, American soldiers in Europe began asking for Coca-Cola, so the Coca-Cola company began to export to Europe. It was so popular with soldiers that they then had to start bottling the drink in Europe.

Today, Coca-Cola is made in countries all over the world, including Russia and China; it is the world’s most popular drink.

As for the famous formula, it is probably the world’s most valuable secret! The exact ingredients for making Coca-Cola are only known to a handful of people. And as for the “coca” that was in the original drink, that was eliminated in 1903. It was a drug, and too dangerous. Today’s Coca-Cola contains caffeine, but not cocaine!