FW: Scalding Surprise

When other kids were throwing parties while their parents went out on Friday nights, I watched 20/20 with Barbara Walters.

One time I saw an episode where she was interviewing victims of superheated liquid explosions. You see, people would put a jar or glass of water in the microwave to boil it. But in certain conditions, the bubbles don't form on the sides of the container. This means that the liquid can't convert into a gas (like it normally does at boiling temperatures). So the liquid actually gets hotter than 212 F; it really shouldn't, according to physics, but it does. Then as soon as you touch the container, there is enough energy transferred from your hand to the water (or just from the vibration of moving it) that the water instantly vaporizes and destroys your life. The interviewees usually had faces so scarred that it was hard to tell where their eyes were and where their nose was. Most of them lost the use of their hands, and some lost their sight. It was horrible. No wonder it was on prime time television.

Ever since then I've been afraid to boil water in the microwave, just in case. I usually just put it in a pan on the stove and boil it the old fashioned way. I know it's probably a very slim chance that something like that could happen to me, but what if I'm one of the rare statistics? That would pretty much hurt a lot. No thanks.