SMRTR Science & EngineeringMay 6, 2026Quanta Magazine

What Causes Lightning? The Answer Keeps Getting More Interesting.

SMRTR summary

Scientists still don't fully understand what causes lightning, even though it's one of nature's most common phenomena. Researcher Joseph Dwyer, who once studied solar flares from space, shifted his focus to lightning and discovered that storm clouds don't build up nearly enough electrical charge to trigger it on their own — suggesting something else, possibly cosmic rays from deep space, may be sparking lightning strikes on Earth.

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