He found that the same electron cascade process could explain these events when conditions fall just short of producing lightning. By understanding how small changes in electric field strength affect ...

In storm clouds, ice does more than just float or fall—it might actually help generate electricity. A new study in Nature Physicsfinds that when ordinary ice is bent, it can produce an electric charge ...

As spring approaches, we can expect more severe storms, which can bring deadly lightning strikes. While summer is the busiest season for storms, springtime brings greater activity as temperatures rise ...

A green spectacle. With protective eyewear, ISTA PHD student Andrea Stöllner takes a glimpse into the experimental chamber (in the foreground) where two laser beams trap a single particle. One ...

Scientists have discovered that ordinary ice is a flexoelectric material, capable of generating electricity when bent or unevenly deformed. At very low temperatures, it can even become ferroelectric, ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. A Penn State-led study reveals the hidden chain reaction that starts lightning, linking electrons, X-rays, and gamma rays. (CREDIT ...