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Curated by: Philip Mershon (110 videos)
How did a defense contractor's vacuum tube end up cooking your dinner? Today, we’re uncovering the history of the microwave oven, starting with Raytheon engineer Percy Spencer in 1945. From the "Buick-sized" commercial-use models to the iconic 1967 Amana Radarange, this is the story of how technology promised us the one thing money can’t buy: Time. We look at the vintage ads, the game show prizes like The Price Is Right, and the cultural shift that turned the kitchen into a high-tech command center. In this video, you’ll learn: The Science: How magnetrons moved from WWII radar to the kitchen. The Price: Why early domestic microwaves cost the equivalent of $4,800. The Culture: How the microwave fueled the snack culture of the 70s and 80s. The Icons: Featuring Barbara Hale (Della Street from Perry Mason) and the "Cookmatic" revolution. If you love vintage technology, mid-century modern history, or just a good story about how our world was built, this episode and this series is for YOU! If you'd like to further support my work, here's my buy me a coffee link: https://coff.ee/philipmershon For more Mid Century Vault adventures, just go here: https://www.youtube.com/user/philipmershon New episodes release every Friday and Sunday. Please watch videos to the end, this really helps as much as liking and commenting, which, of course, helps like crazy. Be sure to subscribe and become part of our new community, thanks! #KitchenHistory #PercySpencer #Amana #VintageAds #Innovation #SpaceAge