Unintended Creation: How the Microwave Oven Came to Be

The story of the accidental invention of the microwave oven belongs to Percy Spencer in the early 20th century. While working at Raytheon as an engineer, Spencer researched a new vacuum tube called a magnetron used in radar technology during World War II. One day, he walked into work with a candy bar in his pocket and noticed it had melted. He put two and two together and realized that microwaves emitted from his equipment were to blame for heating the candy bar. Realizing its potential for cooking food quickly, he and Raytheon began developing it more conveniently for household use. The first commercially available microwave oven, Radarange, came out in 1947, but it was bulky and expensive. It wasn't until later years that less costly models became available for home use. For further reading on this unusual fact about the microwave oven's origin, you can check out Pilcher Jr., Robert (2006). 'Food in World History' published by Routledge or Gallawa J Carlton (1999) 'A Brief History of the Microwave Oven'