The Candy Bar that Cooked Dinner: The Accidental Invention of the Microwave Oven

In 1945, a melted chocolate bar in an engineer’s pocket set off a chain reaction that would transform kitchens around the world. This episode tells the surprising story of Percy Spencer and the invention of the microwave oven—from its origins in military radar technology to its role in reshaping how (and what) we eat. Along the way, we clear up common misconceptions about microwave radiation, explore the rise of the TV dinner, and examine how a once-skeptical public came to embrace one of the most misunderstood appliances in modern history.