One of the mysteries in weather is what exactly triggers lightning. Ever since Benjamin Franklin showed that lightning was a giant electrical spark, scientists have tried to explain where the electricity comes from. A new study has proposed the answer is in space, as particles stream out from the Sun — a discovery that could lead to forecasts of lightning risks weeks in advance.
The Sun continually pours out a solar wind, a stream of electrical particles sweeping out into space. When the solar wind slams into the Earth, the magnetic field wrapped around the planet usually shields us from the