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Asked by crystaaaaaaaalll to Meeks, Pete, Stephen, Steve, Tom on 16 Jun 2010 in Categories: General.
Question: If i stand infront of my microwave whilst cooking yummy cheesy pasta will i get cancer from the micro-waves
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Marieke Navin answered on 15 Jun 2010:
No way – the microwaves can’t escape from the thick metal walls or thick door of the microwave so you are totally safe.
Just don’t make plasma in it 🙂
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Tom Hartley answered on 15 Jun 2010:
Hi Crystal,
First of all not much microwave energy escapes from the cooker and they have special switches which prevent the microwave emitter (magnetron) from operating when the door is open.
Second, microwaves are a form of non-ionizing radiation, and to the best of my knowledge they do not affect your health adversely – except by heating you up. Non-ionizing radiation (by definition) can affect the molecules which make up your body (for example causing them to jiggle about – heating), but doesn’t change their structure.
As we now have much more exposure to this type of radiation in everyday life (e.g., from WiFi, mobile phones, power lines) the safety of non-ionizing radiation is being actively investigated by scientists around the world and kept under review.
Ionizing radiation (for example emitted by radioactive material) can change the structure of molecules, and it can give you cancer, by causing mutations in your genetic material.
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Stephen Curry answered on 15 Jun 2010:
As long as the microwave oven is in good physical shape (so that the door closes properly) no radiation should escape and you can spend as long as you like watching your pasta cook!
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Steve Roser answered on 16 Jun 2010:
nope. The microwave oven has a lining called a Faraday cage (which looks like a thin perforated film) which stops them getting out. So you are ok, and cheesy pasta sounds well yummy
Comments
crystaaaaaaaalll commented on :
Thanks for that guys 😀 and yeah steve it was AWSOMEEEELY YUMMY!