Graphite, a microwave oven, and thou.

September 8, 2005 6:58 AM

Foudre en Boule avec des micro-ondes (Making ball lightning in your microwave). Complete with movies and audio spectrum analyses. From the Plasma Research website. Also: how to build a stable plasmoid in your microwave; simple ball lightning generation in your microwave; and, last but certainly not least, how to build yourself a glow discharge plasma panel. "This panel is not able to generate some thrusting effects, but you will be able to explore some OAUGDP properties like the air drag reduction effect and to test the EM Cloacking effect."
posted by OmieWise (8 comments total)

See also the DIY Plasma Tweeter page. "Notice: This device work with high Voltage and high power RF in the area of 27 MHz. This can be dangerous to your health. It is recommended to use metal chassis for shielding because this is a strong transmitter and be careful with the plasma flame. The flame is very hot. This publication is for private use only. Building and using of the plasmatweeter is at your own risk. I am not responsible for doing something stupid after reading this pages."
posted by OmieWise at 7:00 AM on September 8, 2005

I love the kind of directions you get from the "glow discharge plasma panel" site:

Step 1: Get some scissors and cut a rectangle-shape out of cardboard.
Step 2: Find some thick electrical cord.
Step 3: Wrap the cardboard haphazardly with the electrical cord.
Step 4: Using the following schematic, build this elaborate electrical circuit out of complex parts.
posted by odinsdream at 7:01 AM on September 8, 2005

UFO stuff, I think to myself. Heh. Oh.. Oh holy crap!

(Kind of a double. :) With a similar second comment!)
posted by loquacious at 7:21 AM on September 8, 2005

Dammit loquacious, you beat me too it. I searched, too. Three ways.
posted by OmieWise at 8:01 AM on September 8, 2005

*to it*
posted by OmieWise at 8:01 AM on September 8, 2005

Now available with grapes
posted by Joeforking at 8:04 AM on September 8, 2005

Better yet, Smelt metals in your microwave!
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:58 AM on September 8, 2005

Thanks a lot, this is an amzing site! Why didn't you include any of the rest of it? It reminds me of my first forays into anomalous scientific experiments via Bill Beaty's Weird Science pages. I'm not one to buy into amazing claims, but this guy's projects seem very well researched and carried out, and since I don't understand a lot of it (and a lot is in French) it's going to take some research of my own for me to really know what to make of all this. This looks like it would be cool to look into and this is simply unbelievable...

Any page with DIY information that includes a notice that says "User of this document should be very carefull and experienced in the field of electronic and nuclear physics to try anything out! If you do it the risk of any results is just yours." is awesome in my book. Next time I see a microwave on the curb I think I'm going to pick it up and that plasma panel looks like it wouldn't be too difficult or expensive either.
posted by nTeleKy at 10:53 AM on September 8, 2005