When you were growing up, you probably heard all kinds of stories about lightning. In this post, we'll talk about some of the ideas you've probably heard. Some of the popular conceptions about lightning are true; others are not. We've talked about some of these beliefs in previous posts, so we'll link to other posts [...]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A lightning strike indirectly killed a man who had taken cover inside a tent with three other people, reported KMGH-TV in Denver.
This story illustrates one of the hidden dangers of high-voltage electricity in general and lightning in particular: splash current. A lightning bolt can kill you without even touching you.
When a [...]

If you fly commercially often, the odds are that sooner or later you'll be in a plane that gets hit by lightning in the air. Boeing claims that passenger aircraft are struck by lightning, on average, about twice a year.
Sounds scary, but normally it's not a big deal. Most aircraft are made of aluminum, and [...]