[FUN] Dumbest lab experience?

[Dr. Duncan Clark]

In article <91sp5b$t2d$1 at nnrp1.deja.com>, the eminent  at Deja.com wrote
>I was once boiling agarose in an Erlenmeyer bottle
>in a microwave oven. Problem was, I had put a glass stopper
>into the bottle... Obviously, the steam did not get
>out properly so the bottle exploded inside the microwave oven.
>Luckily, no one was in the room at the time. I heard about
>that one for a long time...
>
>

Did something very similar years ago. Microwaved 400ml LB agar in a
500ml Blue capped Duran bottle, with so I thought, the lid more than
loose enough to allow the pressure to escape. It was a 750W microwave on
full power. The bottle exploded, broke the door catches on the microwave
and showered glass across the room. Luckily no-one was in the firing
line. Can only assume the motion of the turntable plus expansion of the
hot lid/bottle sealed it up enough. Nasty at the time. Bought new
catches and the microwave functioned unscathed for many years after.

Duncan 
-- 
The problem with being on the cutting edge is that you occasionally get 
sliced from time to time....

Duncan Clark
GeneSys Ltd.
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