Lightning is one of those grand, awe-inspiring forces of nature. Watching a bolt of lightning cut through the sky during a howling thunderstorm is somehow simultaneously elegant and vicious.
Unfortunately, while lightning storms can be beautiful to watch, they're not exactly easy to study. After all, the actual flashes last for only 30 microseconds (on average) — obviously, scientists can't just walk up to one and take a closer look. What's even worse is that lighting isn't really predictable. While it is possible for researchers to influence where a bolt may strike, controlling when it hits is another matter entirely.
That's what makes the "Lightning Machine" so brilliant. Instead of hoping and waiting for lighting to strike in a predictable manner, a team of scientists at the University of Florida have found a way to trigger their own lightning bolts.
It's not thanks to some hugely expensive piece of next-generation meteorological equipment, either. Researchers from the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing have found a way to generate lightning bolts from nothing but some hobby rockets and copper wire.
It may sound strange at first, but harnessing lightning could lead to some big advancements, and not just in terms of predicting the weather.
Oh, and one last thing: don't try this at home. For more information on the team's work, you can head to their official website.
