Articles for tag: lightning

Is Lightning Really Hotter Than the Sun? Let's Investigate

Is Lightning Really Hotter Than the Sun? Let’s Investigate

Annette Uy

The next time you witness a brilliant flash of lightning tearing through the night sky, you might find yourself wondering about the incredible forces at play. That split-second illumination carries more raw power and heat than most people could ever imagine. What if I told you that the very bolt crackling above your head reaches ...

The Weirdest Lightning Strikes Ever Recorded on Earth

The Weirdest Lightning Strikes Ever Recorded on Earth

Jan Otte

Nature’s electrical displays have puzzled humanity for millennia, but the strangest lightning phenomena go far beyond the familiar zigzag bolts that split storm clouds. From glowing spheres that float through homes to invisible gamma rays that blind satellites, our planet hosts an electrifying array of mysteries that challenge everything we thought we knew about lightning. ...

Why Lightning Strikes More Often in Volcanic Ash Clouds

Why Lightning Strikes More Often in Volcanic Ash Clouds

Annette Uy

Picture this: you’re watching the news and see footage of a massive volcanic eruption, its towering ash column piercing the sky like a dark monument. Then suddenly, brilliant flashes of lightning begin crackling through the plume, turning the already dramatic scene into something that looks almost supernatural. But here’s the thing that might surprise you ...

Scientists Are Studying Volcanic Lightning to Understand Planetary Weather on Mars

Scientists Are Studying Volcanic Lightning to Understand Planetary Weather on Mars

Annette Uy

It’s hard not to feel a shiver of excitement when thinking about lightning crackling through a volcanic ash cloud—nature’s fireworks, wild and unpredictable. But what if these electrifying displays on Earth hold secrets to the mysteries of weather on Mars? Scientists are now turning their attention to volcanic lightning, hoping it will unlock answers about ...

How Lightning Shapes the DNA of Trees in Tropical Storm Zones

How Lightning Shapes the DNA of Trees in Tropical Storm Zones

Annette Uy

Imagine standing in a dense, vibrant rainforest as a thunderstorm rolls in, the air charged with energy and anticipation. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning cracks through the sky, slamming into a towering tree. In that instant, something astonishing happens—not just a fiery scar or a splintered trunk, but a silent, invisible transformation within the tree’s ...