Melt a beer bottle in a microwave

The Unwise Microwave Experiment guy shows how to melt a beer bottle in a microwave oven. You have to prep the bottle by using a blowtorch to make a red hot spot on the bottle.

Stick around for the end of the demo to hear his explanation of how it works.

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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Mark Frauenfelder

#8: that text appeared when I added the embed code to the post. I couldn’t figure out a way to get rid of it. The WeShow didn’t select anything and I have never heard of the WeShow before until I came across that video.
thetimidvegan

Sweet plasma!
And Fat Tire…mmm!
thomashorne

OMG ! Philip K. Dick is ALIIIIIVE !!!!
Takuan

@10

we need a special word for that brain stem buddy, I can’t count how many times it saved me….
beatnik

Awesome video.

@Hyperkine – Yes. Instead of dried up, crusty debris in the microwave, it’s wet and hot and much easier to clean off.

You don’t need to ‘microwave boiling water’, just put a mostly full bowl or large pyrex mixing bowl in there and bring it to boil, 5 – 10 min max.
darrell

@16:

As any good theist will tell you, that was an angel whispering in your ear. Jeez, you didn’t know that?
Takuan

angels don’t use that language. Also, the sanctimonious pricks like you to get killed so they can lord it over you in the afterlife.
Takuan

“eden-dragon”?
cortana

Did we forget to post the link?
bpratt

“Unwise Microwave Experiments” indeed.

I once had the bright idea of trying to dry out a narrow necked glass vase by heating it in the microwave (the idea was to heat the water in the vase so it would exit as steam). After a minute or two I was surprised to see a glowing spot on the vase. Hmm, didn’t know you could do that – open the door to inspect – put face right in there for a good look – tiny voice in brainstem screams SHUT THE DOOR, MORON! – just as the door closes the vase explodes from the insanely uneven heating. Better to me lucky than smart, I guess.
Landowner

“And it looks like it’s too hot to touch.”
Gosh, you think?
Mark Frauenfelder

No, it’s an embedded video.
wangleberry

*writes*
to do list:
#84: Melt a bear bottle in my microwave
calanan

A splendid beer selection.
paulatz

The physical explanation actually makes sense; but I don’t believe for a second that those engineers forgot the bowl of water for 10 ours in the Âµhoven by mistake.
the_boy

man, microwaves and glass. I once burnt a marshmallow on a plate for probably between 1 1/2 to 2 hours, and the marshmallow grew gigantic with a charcoal core while the plate had a hole burnt through the bottom. Exciting, but all kinds of dumb
Evil Jim

Before I watched the video I was originally thinking “Why not call this ‘Melt a beer bottle with a blowtorch’?” but the principle makes sense. I like the plasma!
Transmission3000

I once microwaved a Pop-Tart for 5 minutes, mainly because I wasn’t paying attention. I mean…how could anything heat up in 5 seconds? Anyhowways, when I discovered my error, it was too late: The Pop-Tart had become a puddle of charcoal, bonded to the plate.
Takuan

now I know how to make glass a conductor, thanks BB!
Bill Beaty

That’s a famous microwave oven; it’s the same one I’ve been using for ten years worth of “unwise experiments.” And for cooking! It’s still in my kitchen. No real damage, just some charred paint on the chamber ceiling (from plasma blobs.)

Oh, and the video itself is hosted at metacafe:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1004040/
bobkat

the plasma was fricken awesome!
Crunchbird

Just out of curiosity, what does the tag mean that says, “This video was selected by WeShow”?
hyperkine

Does microwaving boiling water really work well for cleaning a microwave?