In our daily lives, we often take for granted the conveniences that technology brings us, like the microwave oven. Yet, this ubiquitous kitchen appliance has an origin story that is as accidental as it is fascinating. It all began with a melted peanut bar in the pocket of an engineer named Percy Spencer while he was working near radar equipment at Raytheon.
The incident with the melting peanut bar was particularly astounding because of its relatively high melting point. Intrigued by how a peanut bar could melt despite the absence of a conventional heat source, Spencer was driven to uncover the mysterious cause. His investigation led him to the microwave radiation emitted by the radar equipment, a form of energy typically used for radar communication but not known for its cooking potential until that moment.
Inspired by the initial accident, Spencer experimented with other food items to see if similar effects could be replicated. He brought in some popcorn kernels and placed them near the radar tube, which promptly began to pop, filling the office with the smell of freshly made popcorn. This was a novel party trick and the first-known instance of cooking with microwave energy, leading to further culinary experiments.
The first microwave oven, dubbed the "RadaRange," was a bulky and expensive piece of equipment costing about $2,000, far from affordable for the average household then. Over the years, as technology advanced and manufacturing costs decreased, the microwave oven shrunk in size and price to become a staple item in nearly every home across the globe. What started as an accidental discovery in an engineer’s pocket eventually revolutionized how we prepare food.
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