/oss/taxonomy/term/293/all en /oss/article/health-and-nutrition/havana-syndrome-or-case-eliminating-implausible <p>The story of Havana syndrome has acquired mythical qualities in its telling. In late 2016 and early 2017, members of the American embassy in Havana, Cuba, started to report debilitating symptoms and strange occurrences. An incapacitating sound, often coming from a single direction, was heard by some but not others, waking them up in the middle of the night. A sensation of intense pressure was felt in the ear. Vertigo and nausea were some of the early symptoms. Then came the difficulty concentrating, the memory problems, the sleep disturbances in some of the victims.</p> Sat, 09 Oct 2021 08:00:00 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8895 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/can-coffee-really-explode-microwave <p>This is due to a phenomenon known as superheating. First, we have to understand what boiling is all about. At the surface of a liquid molecules are always evaporating. If we leave a glass of water out, it will eventually disappear. If we heat the liquid, its molecules move faster, become more energetic and more molecules go into the vapour phase. As a consequence, the liquid disappears more quickly. At the boiling point, molecules all over the liquid, not only at the surface are energetic enough to go into the vapour phase.</p> Thu, 06 Dec 2018 17:00:50 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7478 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/can-you-heat-food-metal-container-microwave-oven <p><span>Apparently this question was prompted by a remark a guest made on the Dr. Oz Show. While speaking of “toxins” released from plastic he said something about stainless steel being preferable. This caused quite a commotion in chat rooms with some people commenting that only someone with the IQ of plankton would suggest the use of metal in a microwave. I'm not sure how the IQ of Oz's guests compares with that of greenery, but using metal in the micro is far from the silliest thing ever heard on that show.</span></p> Thu, 12 Apr 2018 16:20:31 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7011 at /oss /oss/article/general-science/microwave-confusion <p>The scientists working at the Raytheon Company during World War II were undoubtedly highly stressed.  Britain was being attacked by Nazi warplanes and their task was to develop an electronic system capable of tracking the invading aircraft.  Rising to the challenge, the researchers came up with “radar,” which helped change the course of the war and made possible the extensive air travel we enjoy today.  Lots of coffee must have been consumed during those pressure-packed days at Raytheon, with cups sometimes getting cold as they were left sitting on a bench as the research heated up.  But no</p> Wed, 05 Apr 2017 14:37:47 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 2388 at /oss /oss/article/food-health-technology/metal-micro <p>Because I take the odd shot at Dr. Oz (he is after all such an inviting target) people send me reports of some of his antics. Apparently he, or one of his guests, muttered something about using stainless steel containers in the microwave instead of plastic which was claimed to release "toxic chemicals." This caused quite a commotion in chat rooms with some people commenting that only someone with the IQ of plankton would suggest the use of metal in a microwave.</p> Sat, 01 Feb 2014 03:28:21 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2084 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-health-household-products-quackery/microwaves-and-blood <p style="text-align:justify">There is a lot of nonsense that goes around about microwaves. I’m sure you heard many of them. They destroy nutrients in food. They cause cancer if you stand next to a microwave oven. Microwaved water kills plants. All poppycock. And then there is the story about a woman who died because the blood she received in a transfusion had been warmed up in a microwave oven? The case of Norma Levitt is an interesting one and is often used by anti-microwave activists to prove that microwaves are dangerous. This case proves nothing of the sort. Here are the facts.</p> Wed, 23 Mar 2016 02:59:15 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2329 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition-you-asked/does-food-cooked-microwave-lose-its-nutritional-value <p>A resounding “not true!” First of all, all food is dead, unless you graze on grass or take a bite out of a living cow, neither of which is advisable. As far as nutrition goes, microwave cooking is the way to go. Cooking times are short, the temperature is only 100 C and a minimum amount of water is used. These are nutrient-retaining conditions. And incidentally, there is no need to worry about standing near a microwave oven. There is no leakage and even if there were, radio waves do nothing but heat. Bon appétit!</p> Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:00:12 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1856 at /oss /oss/article/general/device-causes-water-molecules-flip-back-and-forth-some-245-billion-times-second-what-it <p>A microwave oven. Over 90% of North American homes have a microwave oven. These devices of course generate heat, but they also generate loads of controversy. However, there is no controversy about how they heat. Basically microwaves cause water molecules to go into a vibrant dance, flipping back and forth some 2.45 billion times a second. That’s an astounding number. If you want a feel for its magnitude, well, a human lives for about 2.45 billion seconds. So imagine a water molecule oscillating as many times a second as you have seconds in your life. The agitated water molecules bump into w</p> Wed, 27 Jun 2007 06:12:54 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1557 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/will-watering-plants-heated-microwaved-water-kill-them <p>The email features pictures of plants supposedly watered either with microwaved water or with water that has been heated on a stove top. Supposedly this little research gem was carried out by a student as a science fair project. And guess what? The microwave watered plants wither while the others flourish! One can come up with all sorts of possibilities explaining why differences could exist even if a legitimate attempt were made to carry out such an experiment properly. Was the soil the same in the two plants? Were they given equal amounts of water?</p> Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:04:59 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1683 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/can-coffee-explode-microwave <p>A sensational sounding e-mail about “exploding coffee” has been making the rounds. It describes the misadventures of an unfortunate soul who heated up water for coffee in a microwave oven. When he picked up the mug, it “exploded!”</p> Tue, 21 Feb 2017 04:18:09 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 1485 at /oss