A popular question amongst many people is how science came to be known by humans. Does
one discover how the world works by coincidence, luck, intelligence or passion? Well, most of
the time scientific discoveries come from making an observation, forming a hypothesis, and then
carrying out an experiment to gather evidence for the hypothesis. However, there are times
when one discovers something new after experiencing the unexpected; this is called eureka.
The moment of realization and boost of dopamine that surges through us when we know our
thoughts will make an impact on the world and society. The flame of our desires has not only
ignited in us but to others as well.

One example of a eureka moment in science is when Isaac Newton discovered the laws of
gravity after seeing an apple fall off a tree. Listing all of the examples would be too long,
therefore, the topic going to be talked about is "The Microwave (1946)" eureka moment.
Remember the metal box you would put food in and watch it spin while it gets engulfed by a
subtle golden beam of light as you move away? The microwave— a beloved tool used to heat
food products efficiently and sustainably— was accidentally invented by an American engineer
‘Perry Spencer’, and it is now used in approximately 90% of households worldwide.
A little bit of Spencer’s history is that he grew up poor and didn’t get a formal education.
However, Spencer's endless curiosity in wanting to know how the world works led to him
self-teaching himself about electricity even though he knew nothing about it. This initially
sparked his interest in electricity. He also developed physics, and chemistry skills until he
became an expert. He was only eighteen years old.

After World War I he joined a company called ‘Raytheon’ where he developed television
cameras simply because his mind felt the need to know the cause of a problem everyone
discarded. When World War II started the company tasked him to produce a plentiful amount of
radar equipment as it uses microwaves (a form of electromagnetic waves) to detect incoming
enemy planes or submarines. Microwaves are generated from a magnetron: a self-oscillating
electronic vacuum tube that spins electrons in a magnetic field to emit microwave radiation.
However, producing a large amount of magnetrons was expensive and time consuming. This
problem left Spencer trying to figure out more efficient ways to mass-produce them, and due to
his “knack for finding simple solutions to manufacturing problems’’, he successfully found a way
to increase the production of magnetrons from a rate of 17 per day to 2,600 per day.
But the most significant part of Spencer's microwave eureka moment was not only because of
Spencer’s astounding mind, eternal curiosity, or what they say, “Yankee ingenuity” which means,
“The itch to know”, but also because he would never look over any insignificant flaw in
something since ‘‘everything was a goddamn problem that needed to be solved.’’ Therefore,
Spencer prospering in solving problems in the future was inevitable.

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One day while he was standing next to a magnetron, he noticed that the peanut cluster bar in
his pocket began to melt. This small but special occurrence allowed him to grasp the fact that
energy from microwaves might be able to cook food. This is why the tool ‘microwave’ is named
this way. Already having an extraordinarily curious mind, Spencer decided to experiment his
discoveries by placing popcorn kernels near the magnetron, and then following with an egg. The
experiment was greeted with yellow kernels popping into white snow and an egg explosion. The
microwave was borned the next day, following with a celebration that was nothing but pure bliss.
Satisfaction. Eureka! The invention of the microwave has made modern-living posible.

We all have a eureka moment waiting to burn. Life nowadays is so fast that we forget to notice
the little things in life, which is why we're all so stressed with school or work. The best thing one
can do with knowledge is to associate it to her questions about the mysteries of life. Never stop
questioning and reality will reveal its hidden secrets. We wouldn’t be living in a modern society if
it weren’t for the inquisitive individuals who believed there is more to our existence. Just taking a
walk around our backyards can lead to an everlasting legacy— eureka.

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By Nattacha Fah Chonlakdao