微波炉实在是个方便好用的工具，尤其是对上班族来说，做饭变成了简单又快捷的事。但你可能不知道，微波最初的研究是应用在军事领域中的，直到有一天，科学家发现他口袋中的巧克力被微波的热量熔化了……

In 1946, Dr. Percy Spencer, an engineer for the Raytheon Company, pulled the idea for the microwave oven right out of his pocket.

An invention of Raytheon Company scientists Sir John Randall and Dr. H.A. Boot, the magnetron, provided Dr. Spencer with both the most critical component¹ of the microwave oven, and created the accident that led to its discovery.

The magnetron the two Birmingham University scientists were charged with inventing during World War II provided the Allies with the means to pinpoint² the exact locations of Nazi³ war machines and arsenals⁴, as the magnetron produced microwaves which radar⁵ then bounced off of these weapons of destruction, and back to the Allies.

Testing using the magnetron continued in the post-war years, and Dr. Spencer, in the midst of performing one of these tests, made a logical connection, which gave birth to the microwave oven. While performing such a test, Doc Spencer had a hankering for the chocolate bar he had stashed⁶ in his pocket. He eagerly reached into his pocket, only to discover chocolate sauce. Percy reasoned that the culprit responsible for the melted mass of chocolate was not his body heat, but his proximity⁷ to the heat-producing magnetron.

In true scientific fashion, Dr. Spencer decided⁸ to put his theory to the test, and sent for a bag of corn. He placed the corn in front of the magnetron tube and watched as the kernels⁹ popped into the air, and rained down upon the floor. Still dissatisfied with the amount of data he had collected, the good doctor decided to perform one more test to solidify¹⁰ his theory. To add more drama to his next act, he chose to cook an egg, which, when placed in front of the magnetron tube, summarily blew up in the face of an on-looking colleague.

Raytheon deemed these data conclusive¹¹, and launched an effort to produce the first microwave oven. The mammoth¹² microwave oven they created bore the name Radar Range, in honor of the magnetron's service to this country during wartime. Sales of the large appliance in the 1940s were virtually nil¹³, with the exception of sales to the military and to restaurants.

In 1952, Tappan introduced a home use model, selling at a mere¹⁴ $1,295.00, and sales of microwaves increased. Today, the compact versions of the original Radar Range, carrying much lower price tags, are standard in most homes, and almost everyone can afford to enjoy microwave popcorn¹⁵ from a bag, not from off of the floor!

magnetron 磁电管

pinpoint 精确、查明

hankering 渴望