Slide 1 of 6: That's because thunder is the sound caused by lightning. A charged, superheated lightning bolt creates a "resonating tube" as it travels. The air in the tube rapidly expands and contracts causing vibrations that you hear as the rumble of thunder.
Slide 2 of 6: People who are struck by lightning are often temporarily covered with what's known as red Lichtenberg figures, which are branching, tree-like patterns created by the passage of high voltage electrical discharges along the skin. Here are 18 things you should never do during severe weather.
Slide 3 of 6: Imagine 15 million volts of electricity hitting a tree branch. The most likely result? The heat travels through the tree, vaporizing its sap and creating steam that causes the trunk to explode. Discover what you should never do in a thunderstorm.
Slide 4 of 6: Bolts of light illuminate the sky above the intersection of the Catatumbo River and Lake Maracaibo in northwestern Venezuela more than 300 nights a year, often flashing several times a second. Warm trade winds from the Caribbean Sea mix with cool air descending from the Andes to create an unusual weather pattern that helped the area set a record for the world's most lightning bolts per square kilometre last year. Check out our ultimate roadside emergency guide.
Slide 5 of 6: When lightning strikes sand or rock, the extreme heat can fuse minerals beneath the surface into a tube called a fulgurite. Though relatively rare, these "lightning fossils" have been found worldwide. Here's the real reason why dogs freak out during thunderstorms.
Slide 6 of 6: The odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime are a tiny 1 in 12,000, yet astraphobia is the third most common phobia in America, behind acrophobia (fear of heights) and zoophobia (fear of animals). But beware: Scientists say climate change may increase the chances to about 1 in 8,000 by year 2100. Next, check out what happens when you get struck by lightning.
People who are struck by lightning are often temporarily covered with what's known as red Lichtenberg figures, which are branching, tree-like patterns created by the passage of high voltage electrical discharges along the skin.
Imagine 15 million volts of electricity hitting a tree branch. The most likely result? The heat travels through the tree, vaporizing its sap and creating steam that causes the trunk to explode.
Bolts of light illuminate the sky above the intersection of the Catatumbo River and Lake Maracaibo in northwestern Venezuela more than 300 nights a year, often flashing several times a second. Warm trade winds from the Caribbean Sea mix with cool air descending from the Andes to create an unusual weather pattern that helped the area set a record for the world's most lightning bolts per square kilometre last year.
When lightning strikes sand or rock, the extreme heat can fuse minerals beneath the surface into a tube called a fulgurite. Though relatively rare, these "lightning fossils" have been found worldwide.
The odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime are a tiny 1 in 12,000, yet astraphobia is the third most common phobia in America, behind acrophobia (fear of heights) and zoophobia (fear of animals). But beware: Scientists say climate change may increase the chances to about 1 in 8,000 by year 2100.
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