Hey.
This thing is making weird noises.
Is that fire?
Uh-oh.
It's about to explode.
What should you do?
According to the 2011
American Housing Survey,
97% of households in the U.S.
have a microwave oven.
So it's not surprising
that microwave-related injuries
are common.
Some people estimate
that more than 20 Americans
are treated in hospital
emergency departments every day
due to microwave oven injuries.
And even when these ovens observe
the Food and Drug Administration's
safety measures,
malfunctions can make
these little radiation boxes fatal.
These ovens produce microwaves,
a form of non-ionizing radiation
that cannot change
bodies' genetic composition,
like ionizing radiation can.
But microwaves speed up
molecules in substances,
and they can be dangerous to your body.
"I started a fire".
A dangerous reaction
happens inside the oven,
and the only thing keeping your flesh
away from radiation
is that little door.
And it is essential
that the oven works correctly.
Your eyes and testicles are
particularly vulnerable to microwaves
because they have relatively low blood flow,
so they cannot cool down
quickly enough to avoid damage.
A gap or crack in the door
can leak enough microwaves
to cause cataracts
and severe skin burns.
So, if you see any cracks on the door
or you suspect that the door
is not closing properly,
do not turn on the microwave oven.
And send it to be serviced.
We all know the first commandment
of using a microwave oven.
"Who is on the Lord's side?"
Never put metal inside.
But guess what.
The microwaves in the oven
are produced by a strong metal box
known as a magnetron.
But if you add some other metal,
especially thin metal pieces,
the microwave radiation will move
the electrons in the metal back and forth,
producing heat inside the metal,
which will cause a spark.
And that can start a fire.
If that happens,
unplug the power cord
if you can safely do so,
and call the fire department.
Never open the door
or throw water on a microwave oven.
You could make things worse.
It can be difficult to tell
if your microwave is not working properly.
That's why you'd better keep your distance,
as Daniel S. should have done.
In 2018,
the young man was at his house
in Morelia, Mexico,
when his wife told him
she was craving popcorn.
He put a bag of popcorn
in the microwave oven.
Suddenly,
a malfunction caused an electric shock,
and the microwave oven exploded.
He died almost immediately.
No matter how hungry you are,
keep your distance from a microwave oven.
Microwaves pass through paper,
glass, and plastic containers.
Then penetrate evenly into the food
and liquids you're heating.
That's why they cook food
so quickly and evenly.
But this efficiency
can be really dangerous.
Liquids can easily get heated
past their boiling points
before they have a chance
to release the steam
that boiling produces.
This is called superheating,
and it makes liquid
dangerously unstable.
At this point,
even a tiny movement of the container
could cause the liquid to erupt,
burning your skin
and even causing your body
to go into shock.
Avoid superheating
by heating liquids
for only short periods of time.
No matter how badly you need
that reheated coffee,
do not open the door
before the timer goes off.
It can cause a radiation leak
and even serious astronomical confusion,
as scientists at the Parkes Observatory
in Australia discovered.
For years, astronomers looked
for the source of strange signals
detected by the radio telescope.
They called them "perytons."
Some people began to speculate
they were alien messages.
But some years later,
astronomers discovered they were caused
by the microwave ovens in the break room
when they were opened
before the timer dinged.
So, don’t be impatient.
Well,
it seems that you don’t have
a kitchen anymore.
But you are alive and hungry.
Let’s enjoy your favorite dish outside.
You earned it.
Suddenly you can’t breathe
because food is stuck in your throat.
Could you survive choking?