Inventors claim to turn 300 microwaves into megawatt energy weapon

If you happen to have say, 300 microwaves kicking around between you and your friends, it turns out that you'd have a large part of the ingredients necessary for a pretty substantial weapon. That is, according to two New Mexican inventors, who recently filed a patent for a "high-power microwave system employing a phase-locked array of inexpensive commercial magnetrons." Translated into English that basically means that these guys claim you can combine the magnetrons (the bits that generate the actual microwave that cooks your popcorn) from a bunch of consumer-grade microwaves and tweak 'em a bit to develop a megawatt-level death ray, or in military/legal parlance, a "directed energy weapon system." Yeah, we've seen energy weapons (or tools, if you prefer) before, but this is probably one of the first times that we've seen ordinary kitchen technology more complicated than a knife turn into a seriously lethal weapon.

[Via New Scientist]

[dextro @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:24PM]

I for one welcome our death-ray equiped overlords...

[Quiwi @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:26PM]

I've got an extra one sitting around...anyone else?

[Rohit Kapur @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:54PM]

I'm game. I'm sure the Engadget readers will be more than happy to conform together to get the necessary numbers. Let's go for it!

(Since me and Quiwi are suggesting the idea, we get first dibs on it once it's finished. No bickering over what to wipe out first, alright?)

[JoeBiltRules @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:27PM]

I think they tried this on Mythbusters.

[Pedro @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:04PM]

Yes, and IIRC they got 3 magnatrons but when powered up, they actually made the water decrease in temperature.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:32PM]

We can't repel firepower of that magnatude!

or...or magnetrons of that magnetude for that matter.

[Rat Bastard @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:38PM]

So they built the BET from G.I. Joe? Are they going to use it to gestate spores in the upper atmosphere as well? Meh. Call me when you get in into a rifle form factor.

Oh, and shouldn't that be 'New Mexico inventors' rather than 'New Mexican'?

[Matt B @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:39PM]

We'll need this to take down the overlord.

[Martha Stewart @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:51PM]

Oh Goodie!! Looks like this will bake my scrumptious blueberry muffins in a jiffy!

-Martha

[Green_Ogre @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:00PM]

Is it me, or is there a trend among new technology these days.

I think that different countries make new technology for "support".

For instance.

Korea creates PMP's to "support" entertainment.
The UK creates some peaceful technology to "support" humanity.
Japan creates new entertainment techologies to "support" it's economy.
Europe creates new technologie's to "support" itself.

And here in the United States, we create new military weapons to "support" our unfair military advantage over the rest of the world.

[vincent @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:05PM]

is anyone not worried about this weapon being patented to MEXICANS?!!?!
2 MEXICAN patented this technology which means its a MEXICAN weapon.

[Green_Ogre @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:08PM]

New Mexico is a state belonging to North America. Same place where "Roswell" is located.

[Doc. @ Oct 24th 2006 4:46AM]

And by "North America" you mean The United States of America. That is, unless, but North America you mean that New Mexico belongs to Canada as well.

Geography, people! It's not even tricky.

-Doc.

[Whynot @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:12PM]

"FBI!! Freeze!! Put the microwave down!!"

"Sir, put your hands where I can see them. Give me your driver license...Are you carrying any concealed microwave?"

[T. Bell @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:16PM]

I would like to echo the concern of others here and say that we can't let this technology remain in the hands of any Mexicans, be they New, Old or otherwise. I've severely burned the roof of my mouth on a surreptitiously over-microwaved burrito on more than one occasion, and I can only imagine the carnage a burrito whose refried core is superheated to plasma and launched in a projectile weapon.

The choice is clear. We must rid Mexico of these Weapons of Microwave Destruction.

[James @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:50PM]

OMG! Mexico has WMDs?!
Well at least we don't have to go overseas to institute regime change!

And, of course, we know exactly where they're located ...

[American Copywriter @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:54PM]

The drawback of this weapon is that our enemies, once fired upon, will likley remain cold in the middle unless they're on some sort of giant battlefield turntable.

[willdao @ Oct 23rd 2006 9:59PM]

LOL. Now THAT'S funny!

[Farris @ Oct 23rd 2006 7:15PM]

It is also possible that we may have to cut or poke a small hole in the top, to prevent splattering

:-P

[willdao @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:59PM]

What? You've never jammed a pencil into the lid-lock on a Cuisinart, in order to fire "deli-copter death-blades" at your mothers-in-law?

Man! You lamos've never lived!

[Austin W. @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:03PM]

Where can I get one of these?

[Jeffler @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:17PM]

In other news, Costco and Sams Club have decided that they will stop selling the 300 and 500 packs of microwaves.

"299 Should be more than enough for anyone" Said the CEO of Walmart.

[Wonderboy @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:17PM]

Somebody aim this at Iowa for the largest popcorn batch ever, then we'll all jump on over to the Texas Longhorn Stadium to watch Swordfish in High-def on their 55 foot high screen.

[Matthias @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:22PM]

What about connecting 300 microwaves to your home power circuit? Well, you would only need 300 000 Watts, which is very reasonable for a weapon, but maybe not for home use.

[p-diddy @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:28PM]

Mexicans have WMDs?? Let's bomb the shit of them for oil.... oh wait.

-p-

[Crazylink @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:29PM]

But is it's power level over nine thousand?

[stan lee @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:31PM]

You've never jammed a pencil into the lid-lock on a Cuisinart, in order to fire "deli-copter death-blades" at your mothers-in-law?

The casualness with which you tossed out this comment leaves me somewhat concerned that you really have tried this.

[Chocolate Starfish @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:42PM]

Converting your microwave into a DIY EMP is also a fun project. Just be sure your insurance company doesn't find out how you got the cancer should you step in front of it.

[aeo @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:52PM]

Well then, it's convenient that this cloaking device would render the victim invulnerable to such a death ray: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2412995,00.html

[Manuel @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:53PM]

Now i get it , that's why hundreds of Imperial stormtrooper where buying microwaves on wal-mart and getting them to the soon-to-be fully operational death star.

[Ashley Jones @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:54PM]

Wow they can now cook popcorn from space...Hey didn't I see that in a bad movie???

[CJ @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:04PM]

Real Genuis ... was a great film came out in 1985 starring Val Kilmer in his better days... :-p

[Emceay @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:14PM]

"Ow! My sperm!"

Where can I find sapphire woven boxers?

[Emceay @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:32PM]

Hey... if they can make a massive microwave, then civilians can transfer large ammounts of energy wirelessly.. so long as no one obstructs the path with their soon-to-be corpse.

[Garman @ Oct 23rd 2006 6:40PM]

Sounds like someone has been going over the
brilliant work of Chris Knight & Mitch at Pacific Tech.
They have developed a technology that actually generates
a 5 megawatt laser. Their approach is to use a chemical laser
powered by among other things dry ice amazingly.
You can find their work documented in the documentary ;-)
called "Real Genius". Quite a wonderful documentary especially
for us engadget folk.

[Rob Lusk @ Oct 23rd 2006 8:48PM]

During WWII the Japanese spent much of their R&D on a microwave weapon very simmilar to this one. In the end it prooved worthless. They ignored radar b/c it could not be used as a weapon (or so they thought).

[Moshansky @ Oct 23rd 2006 9:37PM]

And now we wait for the DIY instructions then rush to costco for that microwave radiation goodness.

[Dan @ Oct 23rd 2006 11:15PM]

"Warning: Ion Cannon Detected."

[joe @ Oct 23rd 2006 11:57PM]

how in the hell did they get thier hands of 300 microwaves?; how in the hell do they know about microwaves?

[ED @ Oct 23rd 2006 11:59PM]

So, are they going to build a quantum accelerator next?

[Josh @ Oct 24th 2006 12:11AM]

This should be a great homebrew defense for when those robots get out of control [oh noes] Where's the how-to?

[Steve Packard @ Oct 24th 2006 2:19AM]

There are already super powerful millitary microwave magnatrons. They are used for radar. There have been many experiments with microwave weapons for a LONG time. The Japanese were all over it in WWII.

Yes, you can burn/cook things. But the distance is very limited. I said it before and I'll say it again: INVERSE SQUARE LAW.

No seriously...the power decreases a lot with distance. Hence...you take this big hubajoob and you can zap things a few feed away.. maybe even a hundred feet or so. A mile? Not so much.

The only way it could be made to work over distance would be to use a very narrow and effecient beam (like a maser). But that's very difficult to achieve effeciently...especially at these power levels.

Even so...the atmosphere, moisture and dust still absorbe the energy...which means long distances becomes very ineffecient.

Which again is why this has not ever been made to work...eventhough high power microwave tech goes back 60 years.

Yes...I took a big magnatron out and zapped things with it. It was fun. I think my favorite were CD's... Don't try this at home kids... also...I'm tired and didn't bother to spell check.

[James Patrick @ Nov 14th 2006 8:57PM]

i dont think there is very much moisture in a DESERT IN IRAQ!

[Chi @ Oct 24th 2006 9:46AM]

There was a website a year ago (information was taken down due to danger of the knowledge) how some guys built directional emp distrupter with parts from microwave ovens.

[B-Sabre @ Oct 24th 2006 12:08PM]

GreenOgre,

The whole point of a military advantage is that it IS unfair....

[Green_Ogre @ Oct 24th 2006 3:37PM]

Yep. :)
I'm just glad it's based in the USA and not anywhere else.

Also, for all you stupid morons who keep thinking that mexicans now have a death ray, look up New Mexico on... wikipedia and you might learn something.
New Mexico is one of the USA's 50 states, and does not belong to mexicans.

[Dr. Munzert @ Oct 25th 2006 4:38AM]

Information about self-made microwave weapons, crimes and terror with directed energy weapons: www.mikrowellenterror.de
We have English articles:
-The misuse of microwave weapons by criminals and terrorists
-Targeting the human with directed energy weapons.
Only the people who know, can protect themselves and their love ones!
Best wishes from Germany
Dr. Reinhard Munzert

[Nate Roberts @ Nov 9th 2006 9:31PM]

Yeah that's cool and all, but can they still pop popcorn without buring it? I mean, who wants to watch a death ray display without the snacks?