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(NOAA) Paging all comic book creators. For the first time, scientists have linked mysterious dark lightning to its dazzling visible counterpart, a new study reports. Dark lightning, also called terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, is a burst of powerful gamma-ray radiation produced in thunderstorms. Two satellites caught a flash of dark lightning just before a lightning bolt raced across a powerful thundercloud in Venezuela in 2006, according to a study published April 15 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Scientists reanalyzed the satellite data with a new processing technique and discovered the one-two punch, which was previously overlooked, lead study author Nikolai òstgaard, a ...
In August 2011, Canada's CN Tower was repeatedly struck by lightning during a 30-minute thunderstorm. Photographer Richard Gottardo captured this shot using a 20- to 30-second exposure. ...
Artist impression of a terrestrial gamma-ray flash, called "dark lightning," originating from a thunderstorm. The gamma rays (pink), in turn, generate electrons and positrons (yellow and green), their antimatter counterparts, which get blasted. (NASA) More Earth-gazing satellites are needed to better understand the phenomenon of so-called dark lightning, according to researchers speaking at a meeting of the European Geosciences Union April 10 in Vienna. Dark lightning is invisible to the naked eye, but in certain, extremely rare conditions could produce gamma-ray radiation in an airplane equivalent to a few chest X-rays or a full-body CT scan, the researchers said, though they emphasized ...
Photographer's amazing images
Experts estimate that lightning occurs around the world roughly 50 times every second. How many of those strikes wind up as super cool GIFs? We have no idea. But not nearly enough. Click through to see 10 electrifying GIFs. ...
Lightning strikes St Peter's dome at the Vatican on Feb. 11, 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign. (AFP/Getty Images) They say timing is everything. On Feb. 11, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation, making him the first pontiff in 600 years to do so. Hours after the shocking announcement, lighting struck St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Just a coincidence? Agence France-Presse tweeted this photo, writing, "#PHOTO: Lightning strikes St Peter's dome at #Vatican on day the #Pope announced resignation, by Filippo Monteforte pic.twitter.com/FehVjFYP" RELATED ON SKYE: 25 Electrifying Photos of Lightning Bolts ...
