the.com/sparkling water

Still water that went to finishing school and now bites back.

means Water carbonated with dissolved CO2 gas, giving it fizz, bubbles, and a sharp bite on the tongue.

from The fizz comes from carbon dioxide dissolved under pressure, a trick nature does naturally in some mineral springs (the word 'seltzer' even traces back to Selters, a German village famous for its bubbly spring water). Bottled versions go back to the 18th century, when scientists figured out how to infuse ordinary water with carbonic acid gas artificially — essentially bottling what springs did for free, so everyone could have a little bite with their drink.

the fizz
carbonic acid, not magic, makes bubbles sting
origin
naturally occurring in mineral springs before machines faked it
hydration myth
hydrates exactly as well as still water
enamel truth
mildly acidic but far gentler than soda
the.com · every word