TVSF - The Very Special Forum!

I think that there is a little too much emphasis on 'Big Science' these days. It is still possible to do mid-20th Century science--and even some 19th Century science--without spending a lot of money.

In this thread, we'll explore fun science experiments. Some of them are perfectly safe. Other experiments in the don't-try-this-at-home category are more fun than science, but are nevertheless interesting to read about.

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!

The microwave oven is a remarkably energy-efficient tool for cooking certain foods. However we've all been told not to put certain things in the microwave. Have you ever wondered what would happen if you thumbed your nose at conventional wisdom? Well, people have actually done the unthinkable with their microwave ovens, have survived to tell the tale, and have posted photos and even videos on the Internet. No animals were harmed in any of these experiments. Here are two links:
http://steve.deadlycomputer.com/microwave/
http://www.wontonway.com/microwave/microwave.html

The grape experiment is somewhat tamer than some of the others. Unlike the previous experiments, the risks for the experimenter are relatively small. However there is some risk for the microwave oven itself. The website has a partial explanation for the results. Here is the link:
http://madsci.org/posts/archives/dec97/ ... .Ph.r.html

Here's a small collection of fun home experiments that you can try.

http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/HOMEEXPTS/HOMEEXPTS.HTML

Good link an real self developing to handle with stuff like this.