First microwave
- Who
- Percy Spencer
- What
- First
- Where
- United States (Raytheon Company,Lexington,Mass)
- When
- 1947
In 1946 Percy Spencer (US), an engineer at the Raytheon Company, Lexington, Mass, USA, demonstrated the first microwave, named a Radarange by employees, in 1947.
Spencer happened upon the invention in 1946 - during a tour of lab. facilities he stopped in front of a magnetron, the power tube that drives a radar set. Spencer felt a strange sensation, and the chocolate bar in his pocket began to melt. Spencer then returned to the lab with a bag of unpopped popcorn, and watched as they exploded next to the magnetron. Their demonstration microwave stood 167cm (5'6") tall.