Lightning could have sparked the beginnings of life, but the primordial atmosphere might have made it more difficult for lightning to initiate.
Lightning
Posted inNews
Lightning Tames Typhoon Intensity Forecasting
Typhoons regularly drench densely populated western Pacific regions, but lightning could forecast intensity more than a day before a storm’s strength peaks.
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Have You Seen Ball Lightning? Scientists Want to Know About It
Reports of ghostly spheres of light are often too qualitative. These scientists want your detailed accounts.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Observations from Space and Ground Reveal Clues About Lightning
In a coordinated monitoring effort, scientists have uncovered the timing and triggering of high-energy lightning events in the sky.
Posted inNews
Cloud-to-Ground Lightning May Have Struck a Key Ingredient for Life
On early Earth, rock created by lightning strikes to the ground likely held a form of phosphorus necessary for prebiotic chemistry.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Upward Lightning Takes Its Cue from Nearby Lightning Events
Lightning in a thunderstorm changes the electromagnetic field in a way that sparks upward lightning from tall structures.
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Rare Wintertime Thunderstorms Recorded over the U.S. Gulf Coast
“Thundersnow”—thunderstorm activity accompanying a winter storm—was spotted near southern Texas earlier this year.
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Arctic Lightning Up 300% in One 11-Year Study
The increase may be due to climate change, researchers suggest, but the trend hasn’t been observed in other lightning data sets.
Posted inNews
More Acidic Water Might Supercharge Lightning
New research suggests ocean acidification could make lighting more intense.