Millarville, Alberta
Have you ever wondered how a microwave oven can boil water or heat leftovers, yet you can stand right in front of it and not be affected?
This man knows the answer.
Michael Faraday, FRS
Michael Faraday was born in a London suburb in 1791, the son of a blacksmith. Faraday’s father was often ill, so the family suffered financially. Michael received no formal education but was fortunate to be apprenticed to a bookbinder at 14 years of age.
Faraday’s employment gave him access to many books, which he read voraciously. As a result, he developed an interest in science, especially electricity. After his apprenticeship ended, Faraday continued to read and attend science lectures. The self-educated Faraday compiled a 300-page treatise based upon knowledge gained from books and lectures. He presented the paper to an eminent chemist, Humphrey Davy, who was so impressed with Faraday’s work he hired him as an assistant in his chemistry laboratory.
Faraday flourished in this environment. He combined his knowledge of electricity with chemical expertise to produce technologies that are with us today. Faraday’s discoveries gave the world electrochemical technology, from the humble Bunson Burner to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology.
Michael Faraday (right) founder of electrochemistry.
One of Faraday’s technological discoveries is the reason I can stand in front of my counter-height microwave oven while melting butter, without cooking the family jewels.
Our microwave oven employs a Faraday Cage, a shield that blocks electromagnetic fields.
A microwave oven uses a partial Faraday shield (on five of its interior six sides) and a partial Faraday cage, consisting of a wire mesh, on the sixth side (the transparent window), to contain the electromagnetic energy within the oven and to protect the user from exposure to microwave radiation. – Wikipedia
Faraday Cages do far more than protect human flesh from microwaves….
A Faraday cage prevents external radio frequency signals from being added to data collected by MRI equipment.
Radio Frequency ID blocking sleeves are a simple form of Faraday Cage
Conductive clothing can also form a protective Faraday cage. Some electrical linemen wear Faraday Suits, which allow them to work on live, high-voltage power lines without risk of electrocution. Linemen have successfully worked even the highest voltage (1150 kV) lines safely.
Criminals use “Booster Bags” to conceal stolen RFID tagged goods.
Michael Faraday would roll over in his grave.
Elevators simulate a Faraday cage effect, leading to a loss of signal and “dead zones” for users of cellular phones, radios, and other electronic devices.
One of the more popular and growing uses of the Faraday Cage is the Tin Foil Hat. In a world where science is increasingly maligned and leaders in the highest political offices turn to pseudo-science and conspiracy theory, the Tin Foil Hat is a useful shield from reality.
I am going to make microwave popcorn this evening. If it weren’t for scientific discoveries made by Michael Faraday, I would be wearing …
… Tin Foil Underwear.
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