Breaking down the science of lightning.

Ever sit outside on a warm summer's evening and notice flashes of lightning, but no actual rain clouds near you? This is commonly referred to as "heat" lightning. While it's not uncommon to see these ...

Scientists say they’ve finally solved the mystery behind what happens just before lightning strikes. While famous inventor and U.S. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin discovered the connection between ...

A big storm is approaching... The sky turns dark, thunder rumbles, and suddenly: a bolt of lightning splits the sky, followed by a deafening noise. That's lightning. But what exactly is it? And how ...

"Thunder is impressive," Mark Twain wrote, "but it is lightning that does the work." Anyone who's watched a lightning storm will understand what he meant: Lightning is one of nature's most ...

Engineers across many disciplines are aware of and concerned with lightning—and for good reasons. A lightning strike can cause significant structural damage, house and forest fires, and severe ...

Lightning strikes are some of the most awesome demonstrations of power on Earth. We’ve all seen trees, mountains, and skyscrapers struck. But if a car is struck by lightning, then what happens?

Lightning strikes are some of the most awesome demonstrations of power on Earth. We’ve all seen trees, mountains and skyscrapers struck. But if a car is struck by lightning, then what happens?