In the recent edition of Nature, groundbreaking results about the gamma-ray emissions produced during thunderstorms are presented. Overall, these findings reveal that gamma-ray emission from ...

A Penn State-led research team has unraveled the long-standing mystery of how lightning begins inside thunderclouds. Their findings offer the first quantitative, physics-based explanation for ...

Inside a charged storm cloud, they become something else entirely. As the electric field pushes electrons faster and faster, they slam into air molecules such as nitrogen and oxygen. These collisions ...

Lightning has captivated scientists for centuries, but despite extensive research, the precise atmospheric conditions that trigger a lightning strike within thunderclouds have remained a profound ...

The crater of Mount Ruang flamed with lava against a backdrop of lightning bolts overnight after erupting five times - Copyright AFP/File Kena Betancur The crater of ...

A NASA-funded researcher has discovered that tiny airborne particles of pollution may modify developing thunderclouds by increasing the quantity and reducing the size of ice crystals within them.

The Role of Electric Fields Inside Thunderclouds Inside a thundercloud, electric charge builds up as ice particles, water droplets, and air move violently. These motions create powerful electric ...