The microwave has conquered households in Germany since the 1980s. But some people don’t share the hype. They fear that microwave radiation could be harmful to health. This is not entirely unfounded.
How does a microwave work?
Almost 70 years ago, the American engineer Percy Spencer invented the microwave more or less by accident. While he was working on magnetrons for a radar system, he noticed that the chocolate bar in his pocket was melting. The engineer concluded that the high-frequency radiation could also heat food. In 1946, he built his first “radar oven”, the forerunner of the microwave. In 1955, the first microwave oven for home use came onto the market in the USA. It was not until the 1980s that the microwave found its way into European households. Today, it can be found in almost three quarters of all German households.
The microwave heats the food using high-frequency radiation, which sets the water molecules inside in motion. The high frictional energy generates heat and the food becomes hot.
Is the microwave dangerous?
The metal housing keeps the radiation inside the appliance, but only if it is intact and the microwave door closes properly. According to the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, there are no concerns with newer, flawless appliances. However, so-called leakage radiation can also escape from new appliances. It is therefore recommended that children or pregnant women should not stand in front of the microwave while the appliance is switched on.
How does microwave radiation affect the body?
Similar to cell phone radiation, microwave radiation is also in the high-frequency range. The thermal effects cause the food to heat up. However, the biological effects of appliances with high-frequency radiation have been neglected to date. For example, any high-frequency radiation is said to have an effect on the water molecules in the body. The human body consists of 60 to 70 percent water. Water is around and in our cells, is involved in the transport of nutrients and vitamins in the blood and in almost all metabolic processes. If water molecules in our body are set into vibration from outside, this can potentially have an effect on humans.
