His laboratory produced the magnetron, an invention that greatly improved the efficiency of radar.

ECONOMIST: Sir Mark Oliphant

And Percy L. Spencer in 1945 watched a magnetron melt candy, leading to the invention of microwave ovens.

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They have found that heating the sand for about 90 seconds with a microwave generator (known as a magnetron) designed for a household microwave oven produces a thermal image that is detectable for 15-20 minutes.

ECONOMIST: Landmines