Lightning: Static Electricity in the Sky

That tiny spark you see when taking off a sweater in the dark is actually the exact same thing

as a deadly lightning bolt. It sounds wild, but the sky is basically just a giant static

electricity machine. Just like rubbing a balloon on your hair, clouds build up

massive positive and negative charges from air currents. When that charge gets too heavy for

the air to resist, it snaps, and you get a thunderstorm. But here is the scary part.

We can track storms, but we still have zero clue when earthquakes will hit. The ground is floating

on massive plates that crash into each other without warning. So next time you

see a storm, just remember the sky is literally just rubbing its feet on the carpet.