Microwave Ovens

October 28, 2008

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Profile America — Tuesday, October 28th. A melted candy bar led to the invention of one of today’s almost universal kitchen appliances. Scientist Perry Spencer was working on a military radar device in the mid 1940s, when he noticed that his chocolate snack had become soft. His continued work led to the first microwave ovens, which weighed 750 pounds and cost only a little less than a new car. The first consumer models were introduced 53 years ago this month but still required installation. Countertop models came along in 1967 and quickly became a necessary part of American homes. Now, more than nine-out-of-10 kitchens across the country are equipped with a microwave oven, and nearly a half-million homes only have a microwave for food preparation. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.

Sources: Statistical Abstract of the United States 2008, t. 951
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2008edition.html