San Francisco, California - The most energetic particles in the electromagnetic spectrum could pose a danger to commercial airline passengers.
About every 3000 hours of flying time, a plane is hit with a bolt of lightning. Recently, spacecraft have found gamma rays can be created by thunder storms, and according to new research presented at the American Geophysical Union annual meeting this week, the rays could be intense enough to cause radiation sickness.
Storms
A woman claimed yesterday to have seen two balls of lightning in her house in West Wales.
Annie Dobson, from Kidwelly, said she was terrified to see the mysterious phenomena bouncing around her home.
Annie Dobson, from Kidwelly, said she was terrified to see the mysterious phenomena bouncing around her home.
© Associated Press/San Jose Police Department
In this picture released by the police department of San Jose, some of the 52 cows that were killed by lightning lie along a fence on a ranch in Valdez Chico village near San Jose, Uruguay, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008. The cows were killed when lightning hit the wire fence during a fierce storm, according to police.
In this picture released by the police department of San Jose, some of the 52 cows that were killed by lightning lie along a fence on a ranch in Valdez Chico village near San Jose, Uruguay, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008. The cows were killed when lightning hit the wire fence during a fierce storm, according to police.
A photograph released by the San Jose Police Department shows the black and brown cows lying dead in a long row.
© Trent Field
Storm clouds just off the Gold Coast.
Storm clouds just off the Gold Coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology said wind gusts of 102 kilometres an hour were recorded at Amberley, west of Brisbane, at 4.50pm, while Brisbane Airport recorded up to 53 kilometres an hour, and the city 33 kilometres an hour.
Hailstones the size of golf balls were reported at North Ipswich and west of the city at Boonah and smaller hail stones also fell over Enoggera and Newmarket in Brisbane's north.
A lightning strike on a transmission tower left swathes of Johannesburg without power this afternoon, City Power said.
"It is very widespread," said spokesman Louis Pieterse of the outage which stretches from at least Rosebank in the north east to Mondeor in the south.
Court cases at the Johannesburg High Court, including judgment in the "Jeppestown massacre" case, were among the daily affairs put on hold as technicians tried to repair the damage and restore power.
"It is very widespread," said spokesman Louis Pieterse of the outage which stretches from at least Rosebank in the north east to Mondeor in the south.
Court cases at the Johannesburg High Court, including judgment in the "Jeppestown massacre" case, were among the daily affairs put on hold as technicians tried to repair the damage and restore power.
Three children died following a lightning strike at Kisima Village in the newly-created Buuri District.
According to the Kenya Red Cross Society, the incident in Eastern Province on Wednesday occurred around 6pm.
According to the Kenya Red Cross Society, the incident in Eastern Province on Wednesday occurred around 6pm.
© Unknown
© Unknown
The event was recorded between 6 and 7 p.m. using the camera of a Motorola Motoraz V3 cellphone as the witness drove along the Guarenas-Guatire Expressway in the vicinity of the Buenaventura Shopping Mall in the state of Miranda in north-central Venezuela.
In a bizarre incident, a man in eastern China was struck by lightning just as he lifted an iron bar over his head to swear that god would punish him if he had taken money from his friend.
The man, who was identified as Xu, had borrowed 500 yuan (US$73.21) from a close friend surnamed Huang three years ago. Xu, who lived in Fuqing City, Fujian Province, later forgot all about it, according to a news Web portal in Fujian.
The man, who was identified as Xu, had borrowed 500 yuan (US$73.21) from a close friend surnamed Huang three years ago. Xu, who lived in Fuqing City, Fujian Province, later forgot all about it, according to a news Web portal in Fujian.
First came a deafening bang and an unnerving rattle, followed moments later by the distinctive smell of smoke.
Two homeowners in the Fishers area described identical experiences today hours after lightning strikes peppered property throughout the region.
Two homeowners in the Fishers area described identical experiences today hours after lightning strikes peppered property throughout the region.
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| ©John Tuohy / The Star |
| Michael Marcum, who lives in Fishers' Spyglass Falls neighborhood, examines a 5-by-5 foot hole today in his 15-year-old son's bedroom after firefighters extinguished a lightning-sparked fire at his home. |
Lightning storms have sparked more than 100 new fires on the Willamette and Umpqua national forests since Saturday, with more lightning forecast through today.
About 75 of those fires are on the Willamette National Forest and all were initially pegged at less than an acre. Judith McHugh, spokeswoman for the Willamette, said crews and equipment are being sent to the fires but acknowledged that there are too many to attack all at once.
About 75 of those fires are on the Willamette National Forest and all were initially pegged at less than an acre. Judith McHugh, spokeswoman for the Willamette, said crews and equipment are being sent to the fires but acknowledged that there are too many to attack all at once.
