A team of Israeli chemists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem claimed to have performed a modern-day miracle by turning water into wine, but only for a brief moment.
The researchers were conducting an experiment on the synthesis of ethanol, a type of alcohol, from water and carbon dioxide using a catalyst, a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction.
They were surprised to find that the resulting liquid had a reddish color and a fruity aroma, resembling wine. They decided to taste it and confirmed that it was indeed wine, albeit with a low alcohol content.
“We were amazed by our discovery,” said Dr. Yael Cohen, the leader of the team. “We thought we had stumbled upon a new way of making wine without grapes or fermentation. We felt like we had witnessed a miracle.”
However, their excitement was short-lived. When they tried to repeat the experiment, they failed to produce any more wine. Instead, they only got a clear and odorless liquid that tasted like water.
They analyzed their samples and found that the first batch of wine was contaminated by traces of grape juice that were present in the laboratory. The grape juice had reacted with the catalyst and the water to form wine.
“It was a fluke, a one-time occurrence,” said Dr. Cohen. “We were fooled by our own experiment. There is no miracle here, just a mistake.”
The team apologized for their false claim and said they would continue their research on ethanol synthesis, but without any hopes of making wine.
“We learned our lesson,” said Dr. Cohen. “We will not mix science and religion again. And we will not drink anything from our lab anymore.”