How the Cell Phone + Popcorn Trick Really Works

For those who have forgotten, a while ago a bunch of videos popped up on YT that showed seemingly nothing but cellphones popping kernels of corn. Late it was revealed it was a bluetooth companies viral video stunt/hoax.

Here's how you do it.
Aemaethsays...

Ya, the description on YT said something to the effect of "do this only if you want to die."

Note: this procedure will fire a beam of radiation through the room. I don't see how they convinced so many actors to do this.

burdturglersays...

For anyone contemplating digging around inside their microwaves, be aware you can receive a lethal shock even when it's unplugged because of it's high voltage capacitor. Very irresponsible for whoever made this to leave that out.

charliemsays...

>> ^burdturgler:
For anyone contemplating digging around inside their microwaves, be aware you can receive a lethal shock even when it's unplugged because of it's high voltage capacitor. Very irresponsible for whoever made this to leave that out.


Darwin works his magic.
Anyone willing to do this without knowledge of electrics, and a radiation shield...well I say go for it.
Its about time we had a mass exodus of stupid from the gene pool.

LordOderussays...

I would imagine that the table blocks a large portion of the microwaves that are emitted. That's probably why they only pop a kernel our two of corn instead of trying to fry and egg or something like that. I'm guessing doing this trick once or twice isn't going to really hurt you. Probably about the same as getting an X-ray. I wouldn't suggest doing it daily though, that would probably have some negative effects on your health. I am of course basing this on absolutely nothing at all. Just my weak understanding of microwaves and electronics.

charliemsays...

>> ^Lordoderus:
I would imagine that the table blocks a large portion of the microwaves that are emitted. That's probably why they only pop a kernel our two of corn instead of trying to fry and egg or something like that. I'm guessing doing this trick once or twice isn't going to really hurt you. Probably about the same as getting an X-ray. I wouldn't suggest doing it daily though, that would probably have some negative effects on your health. I am of course basing this on absolutely nothing at all. Just my weak understanding of microwaves and electronics.


No, actually its worse than getting an X-Ray.
An X-Ray is a single burst of radiation, for about 1/10th of a second.
This...this is continuous exposure for, what they recommend, at least 30 seconds.

Theres a reason your microwave has that shield in the window, and it aint to obscure your view of the food cooking.

The most power an X-Ray will emit is about 120kEv, that's equivalent to approximately 5.3*10^-23 watt-hours.
In comparison, microwave ovens are capable of outputting 1500-2000 watt-hours of power.

That is ~ 2,830,188,679,245,283,018,867,924 times more power than your typical X-Ray.

Safe ?
Mmmmm....

This assumes that the radiation from the microwave oven magnometer isnt occluded by wood, and you are practically right next to it, but even still, lets allow say 90% of the energy is absorbed by the wood, and you are standing at least 30 feet back (assuming the power drops off by a factor of 3 for each foot you are from the source).

So, 300 times less power from distance, and 90% less from the wood....thats still 6 watt-hours of power hitting you.

Thats still 112,347,114,500,000,000,000 times more potent than an x-ray.

Granted, microwave energy isnt ionising, like X-Ray energy is, but even still...why would anyone in their right mind expose themselves to that kind of danger ? The thing is made to excite (read: boil) water molecules. What are we, like 90% water ?

I dunno about you, but I prefer to not be boiled from the inside out.

SDGundamXsays...

Actually, probably the most danger you face is literally cooking yourself through dielectric heating by getting directly in the way of the Magnetron. Cancer probably isn't much of a risk. There have been studies done on rats in which the rats were exposed long-term (a year or more) to continuous amounts of microwave radiation at fairly high levels. The rats showed no increased risk of cancer compared to control groups. See for instance: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9806599

And the "cooking from inside out" thing is a myth. Microwaves cook from outside in, similar to fire. However, because the microwaves pass directly through any material low in water-content (such as bread crumbs coating raw chicken) without heating it up much, it can seem like they are cooking from inside out. In reality though, it's the surface of the chicken that is getting heated by the microwaves--the part near the bone won't directly be heated by the microwave radiation but gets cooked instead as the heat spreads inwards from the surface.

9453says...

That's how I assumed it was done and said so, even when my friends believed it and even tried it (with 8 handphones). Microwaves can be dangerous to monkey around the insides of, but remember that microwaves are non-ionizing radiation. Even though the energy level is much higher than an X-ray, the fact that it is non-ionizing means you're not going to get cancer from exposure. Maybe burns.

joedirtsays...

I personally think everyone watching this should flag it on YT.
THis is the most dangerous video I've ever seen. You know how many people will try this?? First of all, isn't the magnetron leads also connected to some very large high-voltage capacitors? I'm pretty sure those will kill you with two handed discharge. (You;re probably ok poking around with one hand).

Also microwaves are very dangerous. Aren't most of the studies coming out now showing the cell phones cause DNA damage to children. It might not be ionizing, but I'm pretty sure it wrecks DNA, unless it is too tuned to vibrating water, and hence all the water absorbs all the energy.

Anyways, for sure all the idiots around the table watching it would have their eyes cook. Also the energy falls off as 1/distance^3

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