Zapping a CD in a Microwave.

My kids used to fight over the torrent of AOL CDs arriving in our mailbox, to see who would get to microwave them.

Indeed, that's a tesla coil and not a microwave, though only more impressive because of the bolts of electricity shooting out into the air, otherwise it's just like a microwave.

Further have to second The Liberal Avenger, kids, do try it at home! At least with a microwave oven, as long as you turn off the microwave immediately after the firework is done it's a pretty safe thing to do, chances of destroying the microwave are absolutely minute. Though, I don't know what long lasting effects it may have in terms of contaminating the microwave oven, in case you use it to cook food with as well.

I must confess that I have been microwaving CDs for years. It is always a good show - it looks much like it does in the picture, although I would guess that the picture's exposure was perhaps one-half second or more.

In my experience having microwaved scores of CDs in scores of microwaves over the past 20 years, the only repercussions are that (A) the CD is absolutely destroyed and (B) the event smells like burnt plastic for a few minutes afterwards.

Yep, that's a Tesla coil...still one SERIOUSLY impressive thing to watch, though! (I love sparkly things...hee...)

--TwoDragons

thats no microwave, that's a Tesla Coil!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Coil