Microwaves are electromagnetic waves with wavelengths between 1 mm and 1 m, or frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. They were first theorized by James Clerk Maxwell in 1864. Later, scientists like Heinrich Hertz and Albert Hull helped develop practical applications of microwaves such as radar and microwave ovens. Today, microwaves are used widely in technologies like GPS and in household appliances like microwave ovens, which use a magnetron to generate microwave radiation and heat food efficiently.