Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. A Penn State-led study reveals the hidden chain reaction that starts lightning, linking electrons, X-rays, and gamma rays. (CREDIT ...

Lightning is a powerful force, one seemingly capable of great destruction in the right circumstances. It announces itself with a searing flash, followed by a deep rumble heard for miles around.

The research was led by Victor Pasko, a professor of electrical engineering in the Penn State School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. His team combined advanced mathematical modeling ...

Inside a charged storm cloud, they become something else entirely. As the electric field pushes electrons faster and faster, they slam into air molecules such as nitrogen and oxygen. These collisions ...