Microwave-related injury

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Microwave-related injuries are injuries that result from the heating of objects using microwave radiation.

Contents 1 Superheating 2 Baby injuries 3 Exploding Jawbreakers 4 See also 5 References

[edit] Superheating

Water can become superheated if it is microwaved in a smooth container without being disturbed. After removing it from the microwave oven, it can boil vigorously and cause injury to anyone close by.^[1][2]

[edit] Baby injuries

There have been two alleged infant deaths caused by microwave ovens.^[3][4][5] In both cases, the babies were placed within microwaves and died of subsequent injuries.

In May 2007, a baby in Texas was placed in a microwave oven for between 10 and 20 seconds. The baby survived with only burns to the skin. It did not have any internal injuries.^[6]

[edit] Exploding Jawbreakers

A few reports have emerged of jawbreakers exploding after being heated. In 2003, a nine year old girl in Starke, Florida, Taquandra Diggs, suffered severe burns when a jawbreaker, which had apparently been left in direct sunlight, exploded as she went to put it in her mouth.[1][2] A 2004 episode of the Discovery Channel television program MythBusters demonstrated that heating a jawbreaker in a microwave oven can cause the different layers inside to heat at different rates, yielding an explosive spray of very hot candy when compressed; MythBusters crew members Adam Savage and Christine Chamberlain received light burns after a jawbreaker exploded.

[edit] See also

• Letitia Lerner, Superman's Babysitter
• Camrose cat killing - cat placed into microwave oven

[edit] References