Petrified lightning

Jbailey · Post by **Jbailey** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:45 am

These shots are of a lump of beach sand melted into a solid by a lightning strike. The first photo is a side view. The specimen is about 1.5 cm. long.

The next photo shows the lightning impact point and some evidence of melting.

Jim

Stevie · Post by **Stevie** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:10 am

Pretty kewl .

Cyclops · Post by **Cyclops** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:21 am

Quite amazing! I wonder how common this phenomenon is? I'm sure someone posted similar a few years ago in this site's previous incarnation

Jbailey · Post by **Jbailey** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:33 pm

THanks for the inputs. I forgot to state that this specimen is called a Fulgurite. There are a lot of Google hits for them such as Wikipedia. I have one other Fulgurite from a different location. Both are quite ordinary in looks and "value".
While finding them is somewhat rare, sifting beach or desert sand can turn them up. You just have to sort out the shells and human debris.

Jim

Cyclops · Post by **Cyclops** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:45 pm

Ah i recognise that word,Fulgurite! Lovely word it is too!