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 ...

Scientists have long understood why lightning forms, but the atomic processes at the core of the phenomenon have remained largely a mystery—especially the strange mechanics behind terrestrial ...

From bolts to blue jets, lightning comes in many strange forms.

Why Lightning Happens — And Why It’s So Dangerous. Meteorologist Matt Bullock explains.

In brief: The process that creates lightning has never been precisely understood, but scientists know that ice plays a crucial role. New research into developing cold electrical components may have ...

Thunderstorms belong to a non-exhaustive list of surprisingly mundane things that we know surprisingly little about. Last year, a team of engineers identified how lightning forms on cloud tops. The ...

Scientists have known for decades how lightning travels once it forms, but the exact trigger inside a thundercloud stayed uncertain. A new study now offers the clearest explanation yet for how ...

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: Scientists have long understood why lightning forms, but the atomic processes at the core of the phenomenon have remained largely a ...