Microwave Inventor and First Microwave Models

Modern life is pretty hard to imagine without a microwave. With its appearance, new possibilities in heating food have opened up. In the microwave oven, you can also cook quite tasty dishes in the shortest possible time. We’ll find out who invented such a necessary device as a microwave.

Who invented the household microwave?

There are two versions of creating an electrical appliance. According to the first, the history of the microwave began during World War II: the technique was invented in Germany for the German military. Later, drawings of the German microwave came to other countries, including the USSR.

According to the second version, the invention of the microwave oven belongs to the scientist and engineer from the USA, Percy Lebaron Spencer.

During one of the experiments, Spencer noticed the effect of magnetic waves on the candy in his pocket. After that, the scientist tried to make a similar experiment, only with popcorn. The result was similar.

After a series of experiments, on October 8, 1945, Spencer registers the first patent. Two years later, microwave ovens went into production, but they were used only by the military for quick defrosting of food.

Percy Lebaron Spencer Biography

The future inventor was born in Maine on July 9, 1894. When Spencer was three years old, his father died, and the boy was sent to aunt to be raised.

At the age of 12, Spencer began working in a spinning mill, without even getting a secondary education.

Percy Spencer in his youth

In 1925, Percy got a job at the newly emerging company Radarange, which was developing equipment for radars.

In 1945, he makes the greatest discovery in his life - heating products under microwave radiation.

The world's first microwave

The first electrical appliances from this series came into use only in 1947, but they were only with the military. The first samples belong to Radarange.

The first microwaves from Radarange

The dimensions of the devices were impressive: about 1.8 meters wide and about two in height. The mass of the first microwave ovens was approximately 300 kilograms, so several people were required to move the appliance.

Most of the samples had a transparent window, allowing you to monitor the melting of food. To cool this giant, ordinary water was used, and for work it required a lot of electricity. As a result, the cost was very high - each device cost about three thousand dollars.

Disputes of scientists

After Spencer created the device, scientists were divided into two groups. Some believed that the device is safe and people can use without fear for health. Others have argued that an electrical appliance can lead to the development of dangerous diseases such as oncology.

At the same time, no contraindications have been reported from the inventors of the furnace. Opponents of microwave ovens assured that it is impossible to heat baby foods and milk in the oven due to the negative effects of microwave waves.

In addition, when water molecules pass through microwaves, some of the radiation remains in food. This can help reduce hemoglobin in the blood and increase cholesterol.

Microwave Myths

Since the origin of microwave ovens to this day, there is a lot of false information about devices. Here are the most common ones:

• The molecular structure of products after the microwave changes, and they become dangerous. In fact, the movement of water molecules is accelerated, and the products are thereby heated.All that can happen with food is local overheating, which will lead to burning or reduction of nutrients in foods.
• Food after microwave may seem different in taste, but no changes in molecular composition occur. It’s just that the appliance heats food the same way from all sides, because of this, moisture is distributed evenly, unlike an oven or a frying pan.
• The quality of heating in microwaves does not depend on the price of the device. This is evidenced by a number of experiments with devices of different price categories. When buying an expensive microwave oven, the user pays for the build quality, for the brand and for safety. Indeed, many unknown firms undergo incomplete testing or do not check their products at all.
• Microwave irradiates harmful rays. It is not true. Subject to a safe distance of one and a half meters, a person is not in danger.

Microwave Oven Distribution

Despite the suspicions and fears of scientists, the technology has successfully gained momentum in sales, because it was a convenient and practical thing in everyday life. The inventor himself did not doubt the success of his product, since he considered it indispensable. Consider the stages of development of the microwave:

• The very first household microwave ovens were huge. Initially, they were used only by the military, but by 1949 mass production began, and electrical appliances appeared in rich houses. The cost of the device was equal to three thousand dollars.
• Microwave ovens are being improved and by 1962 become much more affordable. The price for one device has decreased several times.
• In 1966, a rotating stand was invented, which allows evenly distributing outgoing microwaves to a dish.
• By 1979, the electrical cost of a microwave is reduced thanks to the installation of a microprocessor. Another useful feature is added - automatic shutdown.
  

  Microprocessor-equipped microwaves

• Electrical appliance management is further simplified with the introduction of a microcomputer in 1999. At this time, there are also functions that allow not only to heat the finished food, but also to cook it. This was facilitated by the functions of "Grill" and "Convection".

Microwave Distribution Issues

Electrical appliances spread around the world very quickly because of the ability to cook delicious food in the shortest possible time. But in the Soviet Union, the device was banned. The slogan was put forward: “We protect our citizens!” All due to research by Soviet scientists who came to the following conclusions:

• The process of decomposition of substances is accelerated due to exposure to microwaves.
• In food passed through microwaves, cancers appeared. They arose due to the interaction of waves, water and modified proteins.
• Due to the incorrect structure of food consumed, metabolism changes.
• Cancer cells form in our blood.
• A field is formed around the microwave oven, which adversely affects the health of a person in this field.
• Food products cooked in a microwave oven can lead to a violation of the protective functions of a person.
• Disruption of the stomach may occur.

Conclusion

Microwaves have gone through a long period of development. From year to year they became better, more convenient to use and more affordable. Also, outstanding physicists Albert Einstein and James Maxwell made a great contribution to the appearance of the microwave oven.