Microwaves: The savior of university students who, like me, got off the meal plan and have no idea how to cook. The dim yellow glow and lackadaisical turn of the glass dish fill me with joy like no other after a long day of classes and work. But how did we get here? The microwave revolutionized cooking, but it didn’t happen overnight. On Oct. 8, 1945, Raytheon Manufacturing Company filed the first patent for the microwave. Standing at six feet tall and weighing over 750 pounds, it’s a far cry from the kitchen appliance we know today. But how did we get here? It all starts with self-taught engineer, Percy Spencer.
Dropping out of school at 12 years-old to work at a weaving mill, Spencer’s engineering journey first began when he joined the U.S. Navy six years later to fight in World War I. There, he learned about radars and self-studied subjects like trigonometry and physics, which is what I like to call a healthy dose of dedication.
After being discharged from the Navy, he began to work at the American defense company Raytheon. It was here that he began working with magnetrons. This device was a vacuum tube that generated microwaves by controlling the flow of electrons with an applied magnetic field. Initially, these tools were intended to emit signals that could detect enemy aircraft and ships, similar to radar, which uses radio waves.
With his expertise on radar and radio, Spencer was working with colleagues at the time to develop and improve systems using the magnetron. Now here comes the part of the story that every science teacher mentions to their classes: Spencer had what we call a sweet tooth. He loved his Payday bars, and one day, when working in the lab, he noticed that the microwaves melted the candy bar in his pocket. It was the perfect accident, but the most important thing is what Spencer did afterwards.
He began to experiment with the device, pointing microwaves at foods surrounded in a metal box, and observed their effects. Now I know this seems like the natural thing to do, but someone less ambitious might have simply left it at the chocolate bar. Something I’ve noticed in academia, especially, is how easy it can be for researchers to get burnt out. Essentially, it can be simpler to note down an unexpected result but not pursue it further. Spencer went above and beyond to invent something incredible that can be used inside and outside of the kitchen. Microwaves are incredibly versatile and have even been used as a cleaning method to power chemical reactions in the laboratory.
The microwave didn’t become a household staple until the 1970s, when it had more of a compact, countertop design and no longer cost an exorbitant amount. In 1946, the large microwave described earlier cost $5,000, which, adjusted for today’s inflation, would be equivalent to around $88,000.
As a college student, I’m thankful that the microwave has become such a staple. It means I can spend less time on meal prep and more time on PHYS 1401Q, something I presume Spencer would have appreciated. However, as a scientist, Spencer serves as an inspiration to dig deep into your research and find answers to all that is unexpected.