What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting

#1

Post by Tomte » Wed, May 06, 2026, 3:41 PM UTC

What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting
quantamagazine.org

Re: What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting

#2

Post by cinderelacinder » Sat, May 09, 2026, 7:19 AM UTC

[flagged]

Re: What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting

#3

Post by nomilk » Sat, May 09, 2026, 7:44 AM UTC

That 7 second video of a small rocket shot into a cloud to induce a lightning strike (about half way down the article) is incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BJIiX9_c_M

Any ideas why the lightning strike appears mostly green (and momentarily purple and orange)?

Re: What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting

#4

Post by deepandmeaning » Sat, May 09, 2026, 7:47 AM UTC

nomilk wrote: post #3

That 7 second video of a small rocket shot into a cloud to induce a lightning strike (about half way down the article) is incredible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BJIiX9_c_M Any ideas why the lightning strike appears mostly green (and momentarily purple and orange)?

I'm imagining it's something related to the copper wire.

Re: What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting

#5

Post by metalman » Sat, May 09, 2026, 8:21 AM UTC

[flagged]

Re: What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting

#6

Post by teh_infallible » Sat, May 09, 2026, 8:38 AM UTC

nomilk wrote: post #3

That 7 second video of a small rocket shot into a cloud to induce a lightning strike (about half way down the article) is incredible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BJIiX9_c_M Any ideas why the lightning strike appears mostly green (and momentarily purple and orange)?

I always wanted to replicate this with a helium balloon and a long, wet string coated with copper filings.

Re: What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting

#7

Post by freehorse » Sat, May 09, 2026, 9:45 AM UTC

Tl;dr lightings may be caused by electrons/positrons from outer space hitting a cloud and initiating an "avalanche" of electrons.

Re: What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting

#8

Post by fguerraz » Sat, May 09, 2026, 9:56 AM UTC

So, nothing new?

The cosmic ray hypothesis has been dominant for a few years now.

This magazine…

Re: What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting

#9

Post by CamelCaseCondo » Sat, May 09, 2026, 10:24 AM UTC

teh_infallible wrote: post #6

nomilk wrote: post #3

That 7 second video of a small rocket shot into a cloud to induce a lightning strike (about half way down the article) is incredible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BJIiX9_c_M Any ideas why the lightning strike appears mostly green (and momentarily purple and orange)?

I always wanted to replicate this with a helium balloon and a long, wet string coated with copper filings.

Maybe just salt water and skip the filings?

Re: What causes lightning? The answer keeps getting more interesting

#10

Post by batch12 » Sat, May 09, 2026, 10:25 AM UTC

teh_infallible wrote: post #6

nomilk wrote: post #3

That 7 second video of a small rocket shot into a cloud to induce a lightning strike (about half way down the article) is incredible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BJIiX9_c_M Any ideas why the lightning strike appears mostly green (and momentarily purple and orange)?

I always wanted to replicate this with a helium balloon and a long, wet string coated with copper filings.

You'd probably need a very large balloon to overcome the weight of the string