News Earth

Stroke of Good Fortune: A wealth of data from petrified lightning

By Sid Perkins

- More than 2 years ago

The lumps of glass created when lightning strikes sandy ground can preserve information about ancient climate, new research indicates.

BOLT FROM THE BLUE. When lightning strikes the ground, it fuses sand in the soil into tubular masses of glass called fulgurites (top). The gases trapped in bubbles in that glass (bottom) yield clues to ancient soil and atmospheric chemistry and climate.