You may have received a forwarded email about a 26 year - old man who was badly burned after microwaving a cup of water. Unlike most forwarded emails, this one's actually legitimate and contains useful information.

The FDA issued a statement regarding the dangers of boiling water under certain conditions. When water becomes 'superheated' (heated past the boiling point) it can erupt and cause serious burns. This happens when water is over - boiled in a clean cup; the presence of other additives may lessen the super - heating effect.

The most dangerous aspect of super - heating is that the water doesn't appear to be boiling. Adding something to super - heated water (a utensil, ingredient, etc) or moving the container can cause the eruption to happen. The Mythbusters explain the dangers in the video above.

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