Microwaved grapes make fireballs, and scientists now know why

Plasma forms because the fruit is the right size to trap the devices’ electromagnetic waves

exploding grape

GRAPE PLASMA  Microwaving grapes creates plasma, and scientists have determined that the effect comes down to a hotspot produced where the two grapes touch. The effect also works with a grape and a hydrogel bead (shown), or two hydrogel beads.

Slepkov Biophotonics Lab/Trent Univ.

Here’s a recipe for homemade plasma: Cut a grape in half, leaving the two sections connected at one end by the grape’s thin skin.