Can a Radio Antenna Cook a Christmas Dinner? | MythBusters

Kari, Tory and Grant test to see if you can cook a turkey using the radiation given off from a radio antenna.
Stream Full Episodes of MythBusters:
www.sciencecha...
Subscribe to Science Channel:
bit.ly/Subscrib...
Like us on Facebook:
/ sciencechannel
/ mythbusters
Follow us on Twitter:
/ sciencechannel
/ mythbusters
Follow us on Instagram:
/ sciencechannel
/ mythbusters

[@HR-wd6cw]

Without having fully watched the clip, I think that the small space combined by the microwaves given off by the microwave oven is what makes it work. The issue with radio towers is that the micro waves are not as confined, and probably not strong enough (or consistent enough in strength and confinement) to cook anything. The other thing (and likely goes with "confinement") is that you have air moving around which probably counteracts any attempt to heat the object, and likely makes it cool faster than it would heat, so confinement I think is the key as the heat is also retained and re-heated if you will.

[@HelamanGile]

The wavelengths are too broad if they use something like a microwave antenna drum you might actually start heating it up

[@samuelcrandall1180]

That's kind of the point of the test, even though they most likely already know that

[@therealseanw.stewart2071]

I love MythBusters, what a great show one of my faves from the 2000's

[@walkerbrosfilms7077]

Would’ve been interesting to see the signal wave that is used for riot control. It makes you feel extreme heat and disperse lol that would’ve been interesting

[@af-aftech6029]

Gene's sweater is amazing.

[@mckrunchytoast2469]

Y'all want a fun fact? On U.S. Navy Destoyer's they had this radar array on the top of the port side helicopter hanger, if you stood on the wrong side of the line when they turned it on you would very quickly get burned. Like a really bad sunburn within minutes. It was a lot of radiation. Really high frequency radio waves. The Navy has better and safer stuff now so it's mostly been removed from the Block 2's and Block 3's shouldn't have it anyways.

[@zenkim6709]

Fun fact: early radio operators (& later radar engineers) quickly discovered that a directional radio antenna combined w/ a high-output transmitter could give them weird skin burns (similar 2 sunburn) if they happened 2 B standing in the forward path of the directional antenna while the transmitter was outputting power. This not only appears 2 B the root of the whole "you can cook a turkey by using a radio antenna" myth, it may have led radio engineers 2 think of harnessing RF (radio frequency) energy in order 2 invent an entirely new type of oven. When I was a little kid, I once saw an old "Radar Range" microwave oven in someone's kitchen -- it had the whole 1950s household vibe going. Back then the model name of that oven made no sense 2 me, but L8R when I learned about amateur radio & antenna technology it became perfectly obvious: the oven manufacturer was paying homage 2 the origin of microwave oven technology, but doing so in a way that might have made it seem more familiar 2 the Baby Boomer / Greatest Generation consumers @ that time.

[@MaxPower-vf8kt]

Wasn’t the microwave to cook food the realization of a guy working on radar equipment and realizing the chocolate bar he had melted.

[@theusher2893]

RIP Grant

[@sandybrecken6871]

Perhaps you should have wrapped it in foil to cook it any where

[@ArtistNRecovery]

Wow..I love this science stuff. I've gotta incorporate this cool stuff, into my videos, channel.

[@wolfredbeard5871]

That bird wasn't even in the path of the beam

[@gregmaggio9555]

I love Mythbusters!

[@anticringezone1778]

Nobody: CSGO players on terrorist when the bomb is 5 seconds to detonation: 7:53

[@cyberoverkill5844]

Who farted at 5:33? XD

[@Joemamashouse69]

Try to cook a ham with ham radio next.

[@iamdenislara]

1:10 is that where they filmed Cable Guy with Jim Carrey?

[@tajrice5398]

6:51 , just saved you 6 minutes & 50 seconds of blah

[@zrblank]

This commentator has zero chill with the constant bad puns

[@keensweep]

Should have had a control bird in the sun if you want to Claim the temp increase was due to the sun.

[@sebastian05000]

Me: knowing that radio waves won't do any damage nor cook Boomers on the comments: Use a 5G Antenna

[@CocoTheSpookyLibrarian]

I was like "nah people don't think that" then I scolled down and yup. Scrolled back up and liked. People are dumb. And it always surprises me.

[@realname3538]

The problem is for 5G you will need many many more antennas because current cell towers can't accommodate 5G, increasing the exposure to RF radiation. We will have more sources around us, and closer to us. And they will be more powerful and continuous emissions with 5G. I'm not saying if 5G is good or bad. Make your own discisions. I am just saying that it's new and there could be a potential for risk.

[@sebastian05000]

@@realname3538 That is if they use mmWave which only vwz in the US are using the rest of 5G is low band the same frequencies as lte

[@shanegrissett7423]

@@realname3538 I would say don't make your own decisions on 5G and actually pay attention to the proven science. 5G CAN NOT penetrate the body. 5G is non-ionizing radiation meaning it CAN NOT change the structure of your DNA or manipulate the chemical makeup of anything for that matter. 5G CAN heat things if used at very high power. The 5G used in the transmitters for the internet is NOWHERE near that amount of power. It has been regulated to only even maybe raise the temperature about 0.3 degrees celsius which is pretty much nothing. An abundance of transmitters will not cause any harm whatsoever considering that it's at low power and that it can only go maybe 100 yards before having to have another transmitter since it has trouble passing through objects. 5G is safe no matter what anyone says. literally is ENTIRELY harmless.

[@Elfnetdesigns]

Me (worked professionally in RF for over 25 years and still does): Radio waves are not ionizing radiation Boomer (Who cannot set the clock on their microwave): YES THEY ARE YOU WILL GET THE CANCER!

[@Jonwayne777Iloveyouall]

Should have at least told us the temperature outside

[@poopidydoopidy7246]

at around 4:00 her umbrella looks like an optical illusion

[@troczynskia]

They should have tried to use a air search radar not a navigation radar.

[@dimwittflathead639]

You need to use the frequency of water.

[@j-sizzler5897]

You should try cooking meat with therapeutic ultrasound from a physical therapy clinic. Those are actually designed to heat up tissue

[@ferretlover712]

I'm a CB radio operator and I ain't been cooked yet

[@bundlezlandis7820]

Do ya thing Myth Busters!! Brilliant!

[@jax1411]

Is this actually new or just a remaid clip from old show?

[@crow-jane]

It’s neither new nor *remade*. It’s an old clip. Presumably Discovery is out of interesting, current material to post.

[@wolfredbeard5871]

Try a 5G antenna

[@trunkbangking]

Ohh yes it will..5g towers are powered by 100 flux capacitors !!!! The radiation will melt the chicken.

[@trunkbangking]

@@lands1459 more like 2.4 gigawatts to the 5th dimension multiplied by 3.1463785849...the outcome is phenomenal on the destruction of dna

[@kricketflyd111]

They tell us that 5g is safe for small animals but not people.

[@trunkbangking]

@@lands1459 than why does the microwaves from my phone data being on cause my leg hair to dissapear?? Why do people who install these 5g towers say they dont feel right after?

[@trunkbangking]

Nobody understands sarcasm

[@anshulverma1610]

Why you didn't allowed this video for India?

[@makeracistsafraidagain]

The high power antenna for my Nike Hercules base killed all the trees on the East side. We were advised not to venture into the beam.

[@cheddargoldfishcrakers4591]

They needed to go all the way to the tower just to ask one simple question.

[@chrisc1553]

well of course this wont work they are looking at modern low power equipment if you run a several hundred kilo watt transmitter at the right frequencies then you might get results

[@Jemalacane0]

Use weather radar at about a megawatt.

[@dwmjr2253]

What about Flex seal sealing bout?🤷

[@toasterfork9309]

Buh

[@wolfredbeard5871]

I c y they failed 👎👎👎👎🤢☠️. Propaganda

[@engineer_pirate_hunter]

This myth should have been busted. I was a radar tech in the navy and I am now an RF Engineer. Please reach out to me and I can go over the errors. But simply it comes down to power, frequency, and focal point.

[@yunyomal]

press f for the fail (f)

[@lands4life1]

Killed a bird for something obvious? Could’ve have used simple thermal mathematical equations!

[@backpacker3421]

Save yourself a lot of time. Skip to 2:10 and you'll have your answer in just a few seconds. This myth is perpetuated by environmentalists who think radars kill birds, but it's just not possible. Any engineer will tell you, but this guy sums it up. The total wattage output is FAR too low, and there's no way to be exposed to the total output. Or you can use common sense and go take a walk around the base of one of those towers looking for dead birds, and when you don't find them, now you'll understand why.

[@samsignorelli]

Actually, when I was in the CA National Guard, we set up a radio shot and DID kill a bird that had landed on the dish....it wasn't pretty at all. There was a "never stick your head above red line" on the tower for a reason.

[@NicholasBarnes0]

Try to see if putting a person in front of a 5g antenna will effect them.

[@emmettonline]

Anyone telling you this is lying or is misinformed

[@LucinaHTX]

Shut up boomer

[@dimwittflathead639]

Remember all those signs at the radio station? The operator there half lied. He said 4 watts vs 1200 watts. The real numbers are 4 watts effective radiated power vs 1200 watts total ac power consumed. It's comparing 2 dissimilar items like apples and coconuts. Try running that building on only 1200 watts. The real power coming from the magnetron is about 100 micro watts, compare that to 4 watts. If you want a real test, try a tropo scatter transmitter with a klystron emitting 50,000 watts effective radiated power. Your bird will cook in 30 minutes.

[@kurtsaidwhat]

@@emmettonline telling what?

[@FreddyFunderbunz]

Butt busters

[@joffrepena1160]

Now u know who they really work for

[@theofficialczex1708]

Someone doesn't have a degree in physics...

[@freegreenscreenandfootage7658]

You are testing the wrong thing. There are several million of magnetite crystals for gram of neural tissue. Your test should be looking at what the magnetite is doing in the presence of a whatever EM field you're working with. That's the actual issue in question.

[@ursaltydog]

Too dangerous... yet.. says it wouldn't cook a turkey...

[@AndromedaD]

Falling, sterilization, increased risk of developing cancer... Just because it doesn't raise your internal temperature to the point where your meat is cooked doesn't mean it isn't dangerous.

[@ursaltydog]

@@AndromedaD exactly! And then there are the aquatic life... whom we depend upon for food..

[@User5_]

just the wrong wavelength. watch?v=jT9-Z_p84b0

[@alexandermilleriii499]

There is so much misinformation from these guys. Unsubbing

[@TheTarrMan]

That sea captain got to first base. Wish I had a girl I could do that with.

[@kreativekiddetroit4257]

We know for a fact that there are microwave weapons... maybe if they turn up that dish 🕵️‍♂️🕵️‍♀️