May 16, 2001

6:34 PM

Fun with microwave ovens including how to make cost effective decoy radar systems for confusing NATO bombers.
posted by lagado (10 comments total)

i am so trying the burning toothpick when i get home!
posted by dukejohnson at 7:38 PM on May 16, 2001

Thankfully, I searched that site and no references to small animals (that was so '70's!.)
posted by ParisParamus at 7:57 PM on May 16, 2001

wow. even better pics here.
posted by jpoulos at 8:33 PM on May 16, 2001

how about the chain saw made from a chevy 350. (link to follow) i invade knoxville tomorrow. i love this post.
posted by clavdivs at 9:42 PM on May 16, 2001

The only thing putting me off trying out some of these um, "experiments" is the fact that I'm dismayed by the thought of the work involved AFTER the fun is over.

"Coming over for a few drinks?"

"Not tonight, I'm cleaning exploded light bulb and congealed unidentified stuff from the microwave"

"Oh. OK, but can you please return those CD's you borrowed?"

"Uh...."

The NATO story is a classic. Um, does this mean if you have a faulty microwave, your life is endangered in more ways than one?
posted by lucien at 10:54 PM on May 16, 2001

Apparently the spread of CD/Microwave information about the Internet started originally through alt.folklore.science with the alleged help of Annals of Improbable Research though I can't verify that. Can anyone? Here's some more CWOTs for ya.

Physics in a Microwave Oven featuring "Finding the hot spots in your microwave with fax paper."
Fun With Grapes a case study.
nifty fractal pattern etched into the aluminum of a CD.
More Fun Things to Do with Microwave Ovens
How Things Work: Microwave Ovens
Reasonably Safe Experiments (hardly): including Exploding Egg and Bubbling Soap.
posted by ZachsMind at 10:56 PM on May 16, 2001

That oven-as-missile-decoy story has characteristics of an urban legend: strangeness from familiarity, little guy beats big guy, money beaten by cleverness, well-whaddya-knowness, etc. Has anyone seen any non-amateur sources that back it up?

And if it's true that they tried it, did it really work or did it just back them feel good? It reminds me of people who hang a compact disc from the rear-view mirror because, they think, it defeats police radar.

(And the bunny-cooked-by-radar story sounds like an urban legend within an urban legend.)
posted by pracowity at 11:37 PM on May 16, 2001

A confusing NATO bomber: 'I'm going to bomb you! No I'm not!'
posted by leafy at 1:25 AM on May 17, 2001

Lord only knows how toxic the fumes must be after making lightning with your old Huey Lewis CD.
posted by crunchland at 3:16 AM on May 17, 2001

That oven-as-missile-decoy story has characteristics of an urban legend

My thoughts exactly, pracowity.

Still, sometimes it's nice to give a budding meme a nudge on its way to urban mythdom.
posted by lagado at 5:14 AM on May 17, 2001