Someone above mentioned that magnetron bombarded by another magnetron can cause a feedback loop thus causing the explosion. I am not exactly sure if that is scientifically correct but that could be one explanation for the explosion.
But yeah the rest of the story is probably just a meme story.
Nice, It’s hard to seperate science from meme these days you know. Back in my day, people wouldn’t make such jokes but oh Wait I am still 23. Good times.
Jokes aside, the magnetron is just a vacuum tube surrounded by a big heatsink. It could implode but the vacuum volume is tiny and the metal inside and outside will prevent glass from flying everywhere, unlike a B/W CRT. There is also a transformer, HV capacitor, fan, a tray motor, a mechanical or electronic timer, lightbulb, high voltage diode and fuse, bimetallic contactors (thermal fuses), safety switches, interference filter and smooth start circuitry. None of this can really explode but will get hot in presence of microwaves, burning plastic and other materials, producing caustic smoke.
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