What Causes of Lightening?

In 1752, Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous kite experiment, as depicted in this c. 1816 painting by Benjamin West. This experiment established the connection between lightning and electricity. Public Domain. via Quanta Magazine

Quanta Magazine explores the causes of lightning and why they’re so mysterious to begin with.

Thunderstorms have captivated humanity for millennia, and yet their inner workings remain deeply mysterious. Storm clouds are opaque. They’re dangerous to approach. And they’re too big to fit in a lab. Inquisitive researchers have been sending kites, balloons, and rockets up into them for nearly three centuries, and they’ve learned a lot. But every time lightning lovers get closer to the action, they discover major gaps in their understanding. For the past 50 years, researchers have focused on one particular gap: How does the jagged channel of white-hot air we call a lightning bolt get started?

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