A device that uses microwave radiation to initiate reactions, essentially a super-powered version of the magnetron in your microwave oven, but aimed at something other than leftover pizza. Microwave igniters work by exciting molecules until they reach ignition temperature, which is great for starting combustion in engines, initiating chemical reactions, or, theoretically, cooking a turkey from the inside out in seconds (please don't try this). In automotive applications, microwave igniters promise more complete combustion and better efficiency than spark plugs. In practice, they're expensive, complex, and still trying to prove they're better than the century-old technology they're trying to replace.
*Example: "He retrofitted his car with a microwave igniter system, hoping for 50 miles per gallon. What he got was intermittent check-engine lights, confused mechanics, and the ability to heat his lunch by idling next to it. The car got 32 miles per gallon, same as before. Microwave ignition had failed to revolutionize transportation, but it did make great leftovers."*
by Dumu The Void February 16, 2026
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