Scientists have captured the first-ever footage of ultraviolet corona discharges glowing on treetops during thunderstorms, a phenomenon previously theorized but never directly observed. This breakthrough provides new insights into electrical discharge processes in natural environments and could improve understanding of lightning initiation mechanisms.
Background
Corona discharges are electrical phenomena where ionization occurs around conductors in high-electric-field conditions, commonly studied in high-voltage engineering but poorly documented in natural settings. Understanding these discharges in forests could help explain how lightning initiates from tall objects.
- Source
- Hacker News (RSS)
- Published
- Apr 22, 2026 at 09:28 PM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10