Who invented the microwave oven and when?

The microwave oven was invented by Percy Spencer in 1945. Spencer, an American engineer working for Raytheon, discovered the cooking properties of microwave radiation when he was standing near a magnetron (a type of vacuum tube used in radar systems) and noticed that a candy bar in his pocket melted. Spencer’s curiosity led him to experiment with the technology, and he eventually developed the first microwave oven, which he called the “Radarange.” The first commercially available microwave oven was introduced in 1947, and it revolutionized home cooking by offering a quick and energy-efficient way to heat food.