LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, 1945—Shortly after the end of WWII, Percy Spencer was touring the labs at Raytheon, where he worked. During the war, the Allies had charged the company with mass producing magnetrons, the tubes that powered radar systems. Percy had been instrumental in solving critical efficiency and production issues, so when he spotted one of his achievements in the lab, he naturally stopped to admire it.

We don’t know whether he got a warm feeling inside while inspecting the magnetron, but we do know that he got a warm feeling inside his pocket, and soon discovered that a chocolate bar he had been saving there was melting.

Ever the curious mind, Percy immediately sent for, of all things, a bag of popcorn kernels. Holding it up to the magnetron, he discovered that they all popped in a matter of minutes.

From this simple experiment Spencer and Raytheon went on to develop the microwave oven. Their first effort was a large commercial unit for cooking large amounts of food quickly, but chefs were quick to point out limitations with certain foods.

Starting out like other accidental inventions, it took decades for the microwave oven to be refined to the household device we know today—a handy device when you want some popcorn, just as Percy Spencer first wondered.

ANCIENT ROME—Today, “abracadabra” is a word we instantly recognize and associate with magicians and magic tricks. However, the history of this unique word is as much medical, as it is magical.

The first recorded use of he word “abracadabra” was in a Latin medical poem by the Roman physician Quintus Serenus Sammonicus in the 2nd Century AD. His prescription for those with malaria or fever was to wear an amulet around their neck with “abracadabra” written in the form of a triangle. The contention was that this “formula” would funnel the sickness out of the body.

It is widely believed that the word existed prior to Sammonicus putting his “cure” in writing, and there are multiple theories on its true origin. What can be said for sure is that well into the 17th Century, the word “abracadabra” continued to belong to the medical community, and presumably rabbits had to find their own way out of hats.

EUROPE, 1650—It’s hard to think of something more “American” than a good old pair of blue jeans. As it happens, historians have long argued the origin of the iconic trousers, and America might not even have a leg to stand on in the debate!

The French make their case with a sturdy fabric that originated in the 17th century in Nimes, France. Pants made from the fabric “serge de Nimes” were favored by plantation workers for their durability. Since fabrics at that time were commonly named for their place of origin, it became known as “de Nimes,” which is widely considered the source of the word “denim.”

Around the same time in Genoa, Italy, they developed a thick, durable twill cloth popular with sailors for its toughness. Named for Genoa, or “Genes” in French, we know it today as “jeans” in English.

The Italians’ claim was boosted early this century by art historians, who believe they discovered the first depiction of blue jeans in 17th Century Italian paintings. The unknown artist’s blue tint of the fabric was even painted with the exact same indigo used to dye today’s denim.

Of course, none of this stops Levi Strauss & Co. from claiming that it is the true creator of the world’s first blue jeans. The company patented blue jeans in 1873 and contends that the lack of clear written historical records render the other claims a matter of opinion.