Jeff, here is some interesting info from history ...it seems like some things never change. The Mysterious Death Of Dr. Diesel By Joshua Tickell When Rudolph Diesel unveiled the diesel engine at the 1900 World's Fair in Paris, France, he shocked reputable scientists by pouring peanut oil into the engine. It is not surprising that Diesel designed the diesel engine to run on vegetable oil considering that this brilliant inventor spent his childhood in the agricultural provinces of France and Germany. He grew up around farmers, and knew of their troubles and needs. Diesel promoted the benefits of using agricultural fuel throughout his career. In 1913, Diesel was on a trip across the English Channel when he disappeared. A few days later his body was found afloat. The British newspapers suggested that Dr. Rudolph Diesel was assassinated by foreign agents. After Deisel's death, the idea of fueling engines with vegetable oil was quickly and quietly swept under the rug. His original designs were modified, and diesel engines were made to run on the cheapest most abundant fuel available: petroleum. Joshua Tickell is the author of From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank. Earth First! March-April 2003 Terry T. Pascher The University of Akron History Department World Civilizations: Latin America