Microwaves are basically extremely high frequency radio waves, and are made by various

types of transmitter.
In a mobile phone, they're made by a transmitter chip and an antenna, in a microwave oven
they're made by a "magnetron".
Their wavelength is usually a couple of centimetres. Stars also give off microwaves.
Microwaves cause water and fat molecules to vibrate, which makes the substances hot. So
we can use microwaves to cook many types of food. Mobile phones use microwaves, as they
can be generated by a small antenna, which means that the phone doesn't need to be very
big. The drawback is that, being small, they can't put out much power, and they also need a
line of sight to the transmitter.
This means that mobile phone companies need to have many transmitter towers if they're
going to attract customers. Microwaves are also used by fixed traffic speed cameras, and for
radar, which is used by aircraft, ships and weather forecasters. The most common type of
radar works by sending out bursts of microwaves, detecting the "echoes" coming back from
the objects they hit, and using the time it takes for the echoes to come back to work out
how far away the object is.
Medicine:
In some cases microwaves can be used to treat health problems better than drugs.
Microwaves are primarily used in medical cases as an alternative to surgery. For example
an enlarged prostate. Instead of surgically removing the problematic organ, doctors can use
microwaves to heat of the enlarging tissue of the prostate and in turn decreasing the size of
the enlarged prostate.
Industry:
Microwaves in this field are primarily used for clean-up. They can be used to decrease air
pollutants, sanitize hospital waste, enhance dry cleaning solvents, and clean up polluted
soil.
Science:
Scientists use microwaves to make a special conductor made of copper called chalcopyrite.
Microwaves can add in the process of separating chemical compounds, thus allowing
scientist to individually study each component of the compound.
Communication:
Microwaves are also in cellular phones, telephones, telegraphs, television, and satellites.
They are useful in communication because they easily penetrate the earth's atmosphere.
This comes in handy primarily for space-vehicle communication.
Prolonged exposure to microwaves is known to cause "cataracts" in your eyes, which is a
clouding of the lens, preventing you from seeing clearly (if at all!) So don't make a habit of
pressing your face against the microwave oven door to see if your food's ready!
Recent research indicates that microwaves from mobile phones can affect parts of your
brain - after all, you're holding the transmitter right by your head. Other research is
inconclusive, although there is a feeling that you're more vulnerable if you're young and
your brain is still growing.