Do you ever feel like the world is getting smaller? Well, that might be because of the world’s biggest microwave! The US Air Force operates a giant antenna near Arecibo, Puerto Rico, which doubles as Earth’s largest microwave oven.
The antenna is actually an observatory used to detect and study pulses from stars, planets and other cosmic bodies. But it also serves an unexpected purpose—heating up food! It was discovered in 1959 that the Arecibo Observatory could be used to heat up leftovers and snacks with microwaves. That’s right—it can cook your lunch!
So how does this work? Microwaves are electromagnetic waves that generate heat when they come into contact with certain materials. Since all matter emits microwaves in some form or another, anything placed inside the giant antenna will become heated by its powerful waves. In this case, food is placed inside a special container designed to absorb microwaves and convert them into heat energy for cooking purposes.
But don’t expect to find a kitchen inside the observatory any time soon; due to safety concerns about radio frequency radiation exposure, it’s not currently open for general public use. However, researchers do occasionally take advantage of its unique “microwave oven” capabilities for heating up food during their experiments at the facility. So next time you need something quick and tasty on your lunch break… just remember there’s always an option at Arecibo Observatory!