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The development of microwaves
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Experiments with Electromagnetic Waves
German scientist Heinrich Hertz begins to experiment with electromagnetic waves. Hertz was the first person to generate and then experiment with what later became known as radio waves. Hertz discovered that these waves could be transmitted through some materials and deflected by others. -
Tesla predicts RADAR
In a magazine interview the Serbian-American inventor predicted the use of electromagnetic waves to locate moving vessels at sea. -
Telemobiloscope
Christian Hülsmeyer debuted his invention the telemobiloscope, a device that used radio echoes to help prevent ship collisions. This device used an antedna to aim a signal that would bounce off of large objects near by and be received by another antenna which would trigger the ringing of a bell to warn the ships captain. This invention was patented but not picked up by any navies due to it's lack of range detection. -
Great Britain explores radio waves as weapons
Metereologist Robert Watson Watt was contacted by the Committee for Scientific Survey of Air Defence about the possibility of using radio waves as a defense against enemy aircrafts. After confering with his lab partner Arnold F. 'Skip' Wilkins, Watts declared that radio waves were not a sound defense against enemy craft, but could be used to detect them. This prompted the British Air Ministry to work towards developing a usable radar for detecting enemy submarines and aircrafts. -
Tesla Publishes Paper on Possible "Death Ray"
Towards the end of his career Nikola Tesla published a paper on what the press dubbed a death ray. His article titled "Non-dispersive Energy through the Natural Media," Tesla described his super weapon as a weapon to end all wars, it would "send concentrated beams of particles through the free air, of such tremendous energy that they will bring down a fleet of 10,000 enemy airplanes at a distance of 200 miles from a defending nation's border and will cause armies to drop dead in their tracks." -
RADAR Coined by US Navy
The term RADAR was created by the US Navy to discuss top secret techonolgy in the field of Radio Detection And Ranging. The successful development of equiptment that could locate and calculate the distance or range of another vessel at sea. This new technology was installed on US ships during WWII. -
Nazis Experiment with X-ray Weapons
During the war German scientist experimented with several weapons that used accelerated electrons as a weapon. Devices like the rheotron were hoped to be used to bring down enemy aircrafts. These experiments did not result in the hoped for death ray, but were later developed for medical use in x-rays and to fight cancer. -
Microwaves Accidently Discovered
Dr. Percy Spencer noticed that a candy bar in his pocket had melted while he was working with a new type of vacume tube called a magnetron. Dr. Percy was intrigued so he then conducted further experiments with the magnetron and popcorn which led to his development of the microwave oven based on the radio wave technology created for potential weapon use. -
First Commercial Microwave became Available
In 1947, after two years of development the first commercial microwave was released for sale. This microwave stood over 6' tall and weighed 750 lbs. and cost between $2,000 and $3,000. -
Microwave Sales Pass Conventional Ovens
By 1975 the sale of microwave ovens surpass that of conventional ovens. These new microwaves were smaller, faster, and more affordable. People were quickly getting over their fear of dying of radiation poisoning. The majority of these units were produced by defense companies that could make the magnetron unit cheaper and faster than domestic companies.
