Somewhere, a comrade just tried to reheat a boiled egg in the microwave because “si ni 30 seconds tu?” Now the microwave looks like it survived a tear gas protest. Egg yolk is chilling on the door like it owns the place. Egg white is decorating the walls like abstract art. The owner is standing there, traumatized, asking themselves, “Nani alinituma?”

But why do eggs explode in the microwave like they are auditioning for a telenovela meltdown? Inside every egg is water trapped within protein structures. Microwaves heat water incredibly fast and unevenly using electromagnetic waves, causing the moisture deep inside the egg to convert to steam faster than it can escape. A whole or boiled egg acts like a mini pressure cooker without a release valve. Pressure builds. Steam panics. The shell says, “Hapana!” Then, Boom! Steam erupts.

Research published in the Journal of Food Protection found that reheated boiled eggs can reach internal pressures of up to 133 kPa before detonating. Yes, that is more pressure than inside a soda bottle. The USDA has also issued warnings about microwaving unpierced eggs due to the risk of “violent rupture.” Food scientist Harold McGee notes in On Food and Cooking that egg proteins create a tight network when heated, trapping steam and making explosions more dramatic when reheated quickly.

By the time you open the microwave, it looks like the eggs staged a riot. Just because your microwave can soften ugali doesn’t mean it’s ready for explosive eggs. Respect the yolk! It may be small, but it always has vendetta.

So, how do you avoid Eggpocalypse 3000? Raw egg in shell? Don’t. Ever. Be guided. Scrambled? Go ahead: break, whisk, and stir halfway through. Boiled egg? Peel it and either poke holes or slice it in half. Poached? Crack into water and gently pierce the yolk. Moral of the story, the egg is a fragile pressure bomb with emotions. Handle it with wisdom or prepare for a microwave war zone.