Microlightning in Water Droplets May Have Sparked Life on Earth

New research out of Stanford University adds a “striking” new twist to an existing theory about how life may have began on our planet, involving the occurrence of microlightning in tiny water droplets.  

Mysterious 'red sprite' lightning strikes over the Himalayas

On the night of May 19, 2022, two Chinese astrophotographers, Angel An and Shuchang Dong, captured a spectacular display of over one hundred red sprites over the Himalayas.

'Killer electrons': Lightning storms play cosmic pinball with space weather

Lightning storms on our planet can dislodge particularly high-energy, or "extra-hot" electrons from the inner radiation belt - a region of space enveloped by charged particles that surround Earth like an inner tube.

For The First Time, Scientists Have Bent Lightning

A powerful laser was able to deflect a lightning bolt almost 200 feet before it hit a lightning rod, greatly improving the rod's function.

Lightning Bolt Deposits a New Mineral Never Seen Before

A lightning bolt has produced a fascinating type of phosphorus material - a close match for calcium phosphite (CaHPO3). We have never seen this material occur naturally on Earth – minerals similar to it can be found in meteorites and space.

Lightning helps to clean the atmosphere

Scientists have found that lightning bolts and, surprisingly, subvisible discharges that cannot be seen by cameras or the naked eye lead chemical reactions breaks down molecules like the greenhouse gas methane.

Lightning played a vital role in life's origins on Earth

Lightning strikes were just as important as meteorites in creating the perfect conditions for life to emerge on Earth, according to new research. This shows that life could develop on Earth-like planets through the same mechanism.