Question: When Judy cooks carrots in the microwave, she stands too close to the microwave while it's active. Isn't it hazardous to stand too close to a microwave while it's cooking?
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Answer: No, that's a complete myth. Paraphrased from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/10/health/10real.html: "Every microwave must limit the amount of radiation it can leak to five milliwatts per square centimeter at roughly two inches away from the oven. That is far below the levels of radiation that have been shown to harm humans. (By comparison, the most common cellphones operate at a peak power of about 1.6 watts or less, and most studies have found no evidence linking the phones to health problems.) Manufacturers of microwave ovens are also required to line the doors of the machines with metal mesh that prevents microwaves from escaping, and to use a type of door latch that stops the production of microwaves whenever the latch is released. Those features greatly limit exposure to levels of radiation that are already low. And since the radiation levels drop sharply with increasing distance, the levels two feet away are about one-hundredth the amount at two inches."
Jon Sandys ★