What is the use of microwaves?

Microwave ovens cook by transferring energy to the water found in food. The microwaves excite the water, which, in turn, heats the rest of the food. Non-lethal weaponry based on microwave technology uses the same principle. read more

Microwaves are a type of electromagnetic radiation, as are radio waves, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and gamma-rays. Microwaves have a range of applications, including communications, radar and, perhaps best known by most people, cooking. Electromagnetic radiation is transmitted in waves or particles at different wavelengths and frequencies. read more

Perhaps the first use of the word microwave in an astronomical context occurred in 1946 in an article "Microwave Radiation from the Sun and Moon" by Robert Dicke and Robert Beringer. This same article also made a showing in The New York Times issued in 1951. read more