Ball lightning is a unique natural phenomenon: the nature of occurrence; physical properties; characteristic

To date, the only and main problem in the study of this phenomenon is the inability to recreate such lightning in scientific laboratories.

Therefore, most assumptions about the physical nature of a spherical electric bunch in the atmosphere remain theoretical.

The first to suggest the nature of ball lightning was the Russian physicist Pyotr Leonidovich Kapitsa. According to his teachings, this kind of lightning occurs during a discharge between thunderclouds and the earth on the electromagnetic axis along which it drifts.

In addition to Kapitsa, a number of physicists put forward theories about the sound and frame structure of the discharge or about the ionic origin of ball lightning.

Many skeptics have argued that this is just a visual illusion or short-term hallucinations, and such a natural phenomenon does not exist. At present, modern equipment and apparatus has not yet recorded the radio waves necessary to create lightning.

How ball lightning is formed

It is formed, as a rule, during a strong thunderstorm, however, it has been noticed more than once in sunny weather. Ball lightning occurs suddenly and in a single case. It can appear from clouds, from trees or other objects and buildings. Ball lightning easily overcomes obstacles in its path, including falling into confined spaces. Cases are described when this type of lightning arose from a TV, aircraft cockpit, sockets, indoors ... At the same time, it can bypass objects in its path, passing through them.

Repeatedly, the occurrence of an electric clot was recorded in the same places. The process of movement or migration of lightning occurs mainly horizontally and at a height of about a meter above the ground. There is also a sound accompaniment in the form of a crunch, crackle and squeak, which leads to interference in the radio.

According to the descriptions of eyewitnesses of this phenomenon, two types of lightning are distinguished:

Characteristics

The origin of such lightning is still unknown. There are versions that an electric discharge occurs either on the surface of lightning, or comes out of the total volume.

Scientists do not yet know the physical and chemical composition, thanks to which such a phenomenon of nature can easily overcome doorways, windows, small gaps, and again acquire its original size and shape. In this regard, hypothetical assumptions were put forward about the structure of gas, but such a gas, according to the laws of physics, would have to fly into the air under the influence of internal heat.

• The size of ball lightning is usually 10 - 20 centimeters.
• The color of the glow, as a rule, can be blue, white or orange. However, witnesses of this phenomenon report that a permanent color was not observed and it always changed.
• The shape of ball lightning is in most cases spherical.
• The duration of existence was estimated to be no more than 30 seconds.
• The temperature has not been fully investigated, but according to experts, it is up to 1000 degrees Celsius.

Without knowing the nature of the origin of this natural phenomenon, it is difficult to make assumptions about how ball lightning moves. According to one theory, the movement of this form of electric discharge can occur due to the force of the wind, the action of electromagnetic oscillations, or the force of attraction.

Why ball lightning is dangerous

Despite the many different hypotheses about the nature of the occurrence and characteristics of this natural phenomenon, it must be taken into account that interaction with ball lightning is extremely dangerous, since a ball filled with a large discharge can not only injure, but also kill. An explosion can lead to tragic consequences.

• The first rule to follow when meeting with a fireball is not to panic, do not run, do not make quick and abrupt movements.
• It is necessary to slowly leave the trajectory of the ball, while keeping a distance from it and not turn your back.
• When ball lightning appears in a closed room, the first thing to do is to try to carefully open the window in order to create a draft.
• In addition to the above rules, it is strictly forbidden to throw any objects into the plasma ball, as this can lead to a fatal explosion.

So in the Lugansk region, lightning the size of a golf ball killed a driver, and in Pyatigorsk, a man, trying to brush off a luminous ball, received severe burns on his hands. In Buryatia, lightning descended through the roof and exploded in the house. The explosion was so strong that the windows and doors were knocked out, the walls were damaged, and the owners of the household were injured and received a shell shock.

Video: 10 Facts about ball lightning

This video presents to your attention the facts about the most mysterious and amazing natural phenomenon.

One of the most amazing and dangerous natural phenomena is ball lightning. How to behave and what to do when meeting with her, you will learn from this article.

What is ball lightning

Surprisingly, modern science finds it difficult to answer this question. Unfortunately, no one has yet been able to analyze this natural phenomenon with the help of precise scientific instruments. All attempts by scientists to recreate it in the laboratory have also failed. Despite a lot of historical data and eyewitness accounts, some researchers even deny the very existence of this phenomenon.

Those who were lucky enough to stay alive after meeting with an electric ball, give conflicting testimonies. They claim to have seen a sphere 10 to 20 cm in diameter, but describe it differently. According to one version, ball lightning is almost transparent, the contours of surrounding objects can even be guessed through it. According to another, its color varies from white to red. Someone says that they felt the heat emanating from the lightning. Others did not notice any warmth from her, even being in close proximity.

Chinese scientists were lucky to detect ball lightning using spectrometers. Although this moment lasted one and a half seconds, the researchers were able to conclude that it was different from ordinary lightning.

Where does ball lightning appear?

How to behave when meeting with her, because a fireball can appear anywhere. The circumstances of its formation are very different and it is difficult to find a definite pattern. Most people think that you can only meet lightning during or after a thunderstorm. However, there is a lot of evidence that it also appeared in dry, cloudless weather. It is also impossible to predict the place where an electric ball may form. There were cases when it arose from a voltage network, a tree trunk, and even from a wall of an apartment building. Eyewitnesses saw how lightning appeared on its own, met it in open areas and indoors. Also, the literature describes cases when, after a normal strike, ball lightning occurred.

How to behave

If you are "lucky enough" to encounter a fireball in an open area, you must adhere to the basic rules of behavior in this extreme situation.

• Try to slowly move away from the dangerous place for a considerable distance. Don't turn your back on the lightning and don't try to run away from it.
• If she is close and moving towards you, freeze, stretch your arms forward and hold your breath. After a few seconds or minutes, the ball will circle around you and disappear.
• In no case do not throw any objects at it, as if it collides with something, the lightning explodes.

Ball lightning: how to escape if it appeared in the house?

This plot is the most terrible, since an unprepared person can panic and make a fatal mistake. Remember that the electric sphere reacts to any movement of air. Therefore, the most universal advice is to remain still and calm. What else can be done if ball lightning has flown into the apartment?

• What to do if she was near your face? Blow on the ball and it will fly off to the side.
• Do not touch iron objects.
• Freeze, do not make sudden movements and do not try to escape.
• If there is an entrance to an adjacent room nearby, then try to hide in it. But do not turn your back on the lightning and try to move as slowly as possible.
• Do not try to drive it away with any object, otherwise you risk provoking a strong explosion. In this case, you face such serious consequences as cardiac arrest, burns, injuries and loss of consciousness.

How to help the victim

Remember that lightning can cause very serious injury or even take life. If you see that a person is injured by her blow, then urgently take action - move him to another place and do not be afraid, since there will no longer be a charge in his body. Put him on the floor, wrap him up and call an ambulance. In case of cardiac arrest, give him artificial respiration until the arrival of doctors. If the person was not badly hurt, put a wet towel on his head, give two analgin tablets and soothing drops.

How to save yourself

How to protect yourself from ball lightning? First of all, you need to take steps that will keep you safe during a normal thunderstorm. Remember that in most cases people suffer from electric shock while in nature or in the countryside.

• How to escape from ball lightning in the forest? Don't hide under lonely trees. Try to find a low grove or undergrowth. Remember that lightning rarely strikes conifers and birches.
• Do not hold metal objects (forks, shovels, guns, fishing rods and umbrellas) above your head.
• Do not hide in a haystack and do not lie down on the ground - better squat down.
• If a thunderstorm caught you in the car, stop and do not touch metal objects. Don't forget to lower your antenna and drive away from tall trees. Stop at the curb and do not enter the gas station.
• Remember that quite often a thunderstorm goes against the wind. Ball lightning moves in exactly the same way.
• How to behave in the house and should you worry if you are under a roof? Unfortunately, a lightning rod and other devices are not able to help you.
• If you are in the steppe, then squat down, try not to rise above the surrounding objects. You can take cover in a ditch, but leave it as soon as it starts to fill with water.
• If you are sailing in a boat, then in no case do not get up. Try to get to the shore as quickly as possible and move away from the water to a safe distance.

• Take off your jewelry and put it away.
• Turn off your cell phone. If it works, then ball lightning can be attracted to the signal.
• How to escape from a thunderstorm if you are in the country? Close windows and chimney. It is not yet known whether glass is a barrier to lightning. However, it has been observed that it easily seeps into any slots, sockets or electrical appliances.
• If you are at home, then close the windows and turn off electrical appliances, do not touch anything metal. Try to stay away from outlets. Do not make phone calls and turn off all external antennas.

“Dear editors, please explain the incident that happened to me on August 19, 1960. I was walking from the bus to Borisovka, where my parents live, and noticed the shining headlight of a motorcycle moving towards me from the forest. But how can a motorcycle move after rain on a loamy field? She stopped and looked closely.

"Fara" stopped from me at a distance of 300 meters. Then I noticed that there was no sign of any car. "Fara" suddenly headed straight for me and stood up in 2 ... 3 steps - and I stand, trying to figure out what it could be. Then she slowly began to move away, the distance between me and the “headlight” began to increase, and then she quickly left in the direction of Kukshev.

Before us is one of the many meetings with the most curious natural phenomenon - ball lightning.

This phenomenon has not received recognition in science for a long time. Ball lightning was said to be an optical illusion and nothing more. The French physicist Mascart called it "the fruit of an excited fantasy." And in one of the German textbooks on physics at the end of the last century, it was stated that ball lightning cannot exist, since this is "a phenomenon that does not comply with the laws of nature."

Scientists, as we see, can also be mistaken when confronted with the mysteries of nature. Moreover, they are often mistaken not because they have a “bad character”, which does not allow them to be condescending to new scientific ideas or agree with facts that contradict their ideas. The reasons for this are much deeper, including, in particular, the desire to preserve in integrity and completeness the system of views on the structure of the world that prevails in natural science. However, knowledge is a process that cannot be stopped as long as humanity exists. This process is based on the principle: I don't know today, I'll find out tomorrow. A principle that is directly opposite to the religious one: I don’t know and it’s not supposed to know, since everything that is incomprehensible is wonderful - from God, confirmation of his existence, and it is impossible to know. Ball lightning can, perhaps, be considered a classic example of how, under the pressure of facts, the attitude of scientists towards them changed.

Gradually, a lot of material was collected, indicating that ball lightning is a reality. A variety of people reported encounters with this still mysterious companion of thunderstorms.

In 1975, the journal Science and Life, together with the Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the USSR Academy of Sciences, published a questionnaire that contained a number of questions about ball lightning and a request for eyewitnesses of this phenomenon to answer questions. The editors received more than a thousand letters, which describe cases of observation of ball lightning. The authors are scientists, engineers, teachers, pilots, meteorologists...

Judging by the stories of people who have seen this "wonder of nature", ball lightning sometimes reaches the size of a soccer ball and even more. She moves in the air rather slowly. She is easy to follow with her eyes. Sometimes such a luminous ball almost stops, and when it reaches some obstacle, it often explodes, causing destruction. In other cases, ball lightning disappears quietly.

When this ball moves, a slight whistle or hiss is heard in the air. The color of the balls is different. Observers say that they saw red, and dazzling White, and blue, and even black! In addition, lightning is not always spherical - there are also pear-shaped, egg-shaped ones. Many eyewitnesses managed to photograph her.

The connection between ball lightning and ordinary, linear lightning is confirmed by a number of facts. P. Grishnenkov from Murom saw how ball lightning with a diameter of thirty to forty centimeters jumped out of the ground at the site of a linear lightning strike. Tomsk University student A. Sozonov saw three ball lightnings of bright white color that separated from the middle part of the linear lightning channel and began to slowly fall. The locomotive driver A. Orlov described the case when ball lightning flew up when a linear lightning struck a steel pole of a power transmission line.

A. Timoshchuk, a teacher at the university, spoke in detail about his meeting with the fireball.

Lightning struck the wires near the pole. At the same moment, a yellow-green flash appeared on the wire, which began to “flare up”. A ball was formed, which slowly rolled along the sagging wire. Gradually it turned red. The ball jumped to the bottom wire, and then fell on the poplar branches. There was a strong crack, red sparks flew and several small balls rolled along the branches. The ball began to jump along the pavement, bouncing and scattering sparks around it. Finally, it broke into several pieces, which quickly went out. All this happened in about ten seconds and was observed by another person.

Only hypotheses

We must immediately make a reservation: there is no generally accepted scientific explanation of the nature of ball lightning yet, but there are many assumptions and hypotheses. And not all of them deserve attention. But some assumptions about the origin of this electrical miracle are largely justified. One of them belongs to Academician P.L. Kapitsa.

Ball lightning, in his opinion, is fed by radio emissions that occur during lightning discharges of atmospheric electricity. If, he writes, “in nature there are no sources of energy that are still unknown to us, then on the basis of the law of conservation of energy we have to accept that during the glow energy is continuously supplied to ball lightning, and we are forced to look for this source of energy outside the volume of ball lightning. Ball lightning occurs where radio waves reach their highest intensity.”

The explanation of ball lightning proposed by a prominent Soviet scientist is in good agreement with many of its features; and with the fact that it sometimes rolls on the surface of various objects without leaving burns, and with the fact that it most often penetrates into rooms through chimneys, windows and even small cracks.

Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences I.P. Stakhanov suggested that ball lightning occurs when a significant amount of water enters the channel of ordinary lightning. When connecting (recombining), water molecules adhere to positive and negative ions, forming a shell around them. This shell stops the connection of ions, preventing their direct contact.

The formation of such aqueous shells around ions in solutions is known. But can the same thing happen in gases? Apparently, yes, since it is now known that in the lower layers of the ionosphere there are many similar ions associated with water molecules.

Ball lightning of medium size (ten to twenty centimeters in diameter) can be formed from a large dew drop that has fallen into a lightning discharge channel. On the other hand, as calculations have shown, for the stability of ball lightning it is necessary that the density of its matter differ little from the density of the surrounding air.

“If ball lightning,” writes I.P. Stakhanov, - falls into such conditions when its temperature becomes higher than a certain limit (for example, due to a decrease in heat transfer in a closed room), then a chain reaction of destruction of water shells begins, which leads to an explosion. Under normal conditions, the matter of lightning slowly "burns out" due to recombination. This leads to a change in density, and as a result, the lightning "falls apart", throwing out pieces of matter that eyewitnesses mistake for sparks.

Scientists are not content, of course, with collecting reliable evidence of the appearance of ball lightning. They are trying to get it in the laboratory, experimentally testing their theoretical assumptions and mathematical calculations.

Mezentsev V. A. Encyclopedia of Miracles. Book. I. The ordinary in the extraordinary. - 3rd ed. - M., Knowledge. 1988.

Many of us have heard of such a thing as "ball lightning". I must say that few imagine what kind of phenomenon this is. Not to mention ordinary people, even physicists and chemists still do not know what ball lightning is. How it looks, some eyewitnesses described, but, so to speak, not everyone managed to “touch” it. Of course, every self-respecting astrophysicist is trying to tell the entire scientific world that he has discovered something new, say, unexplored planets or galaxies. But here it is worth going down to earth, because on our planet there are a lot of unexplored natural phenomena.

What is ball lightning?

To date, official science cannot give an explanation of what is commonly called ball lightning. Even the leading experts in this field do not know what ball lightning looks like and how it is formed.

The point here is that theoretical physicists still cannot agree on a common opinion: is it plasma or electricity. Unfortunately, they know what ball lightning looks like, but so far no one has been able to "stuff" it into a test tube for research.

Both in the movies and in real life, we can very often observe such specific effects. Not many directors allow themselves to recreate them, and even more so to do natural shooting. As is already clear, this is fraught with unpredictable consequences.

The point of view of official physics

What do teachers who teach physics in schools, applicants for the defense of doctoral dissertations, tell us? Yes, absolutely nothing. Officially, on the question of how ball lightning looks like, or what effect it can have on a person, much has been said about the appearance, but not about the nature of the phenomenon itself.

Today it is believed that ball lightning is a plasma clot. True, official science still does not explain the fact that such a plasma clot is capable of emitting millions of volts of electricity. It turns out that questions about how ball lightning looks like, how this phenomenon is formed, remain unanswered.

Despite all our knowledge accumulated over the centuries, we still cannot give an unambiguous answer to the question that interests us. But let's try to approach the concept itself from a slightly different point of view. To begin with, let's consider what a meeting with lightning of this type is fraught with.

What does ball lightning look like and why is it dangerous?

First of all, you need to clearly understand that ball lightning usually looks like a bright ball with light that cuts the eyes, which "floats" above the surface of the earth. Again, physicists do not agree on what ball lightning looks like (the photo will be shown below).

In contact with such a thing, you can either get a high-voltage shock or burn alive, as evidenced by numerous cases.

But here's what's interesting. Some people have survived such situations and emerged victorious from them. Now we will not name their names, but official science confirms that a short-term impulse is capable of exerting a rather strong influence on the human brain centers. Almost everyone has heard about what ball lightning looks like, but only people called psychics can guess from the effect of its active manifestations. By the way, many of them at one time, if they did not survive a meeting with ball lightning, then they certainly received an electric shock. More on this later.

The most common manifestations of ball lightning

In general, in the European part of our continent, the question of how ball lightning looks like, how this object is formed, what consequences it has, in principle, can be ignored. But climbers say that in the highlands, the appearance of ball lightning is considered the norm.

There is nothing surprising in this. If we consider the topic “Fill lightning: what does it look like?”, It is worth paying attention to those places that are the most dangerous, where, as it is believed, an encounter with ball lightning is practically guaranteed.

These are the so-called places of tectonic faults. Take 37-38 parallel. Absolutely all the pyramids known today (Egypt, Mexico, India, etc.) were built along it.

Where does it occur most often?

Could it be that ancient people or aliens protected their buildings or access to certain data in this way?

Ball lightning, as proof of this, met on the way of many researchers, including the discoverers of the tomb of Tutankhamun. As you know, they all died an incomprehensible death in one year. Unfortunately, none of them left any clear diary of what constitutes ball lightning. True, they knew what she looked like, but the meeting with her is believed to have been fatal.

And Egypt is not the only indicator. Almost all places associated with the construction of pyramids or ancient burials are somehow associated with the appearance of ball lightning (probably as a regulator of access to some of their functions, which, alas, we have no idea about).

Education process

Now let's plunge a little into the area of ​​the process, which implies the formation of such a clot of matter.

It is not necessary to say that this is matter. For those who understand the essence of the matter, we immediately note that ball lightning has mass, which means that it is not light, expressed in transmission by photons with zero mass. This is not a neutrino. Such particles are capable of penetrating not only the Earth, but also each of us every second. What then?

The connection between plasma and electricity

It is not enough to talk about what ball lightning looks like, you need to know the root causes of its physical occurrence. As is commonly believed, a plasma formation in the form of ball lightning carries a charge of static electricity, which can transform into a dynamic component and be transmitted at a distance even if there is direct physical contact. If we consider the question of how ball lightning looks like (see a photo of a conventional discharge below), it is worth noting the relationship between these two phenomena.

The founder of almost the entire theory and practice of using electric current and transmitting it to any distance without wires is considered a brilliant physicist named Nikola Tesla.

It was he who conducted the first experiments on the creation of the same ball lightning in a local version. Unfortunately, all these developments are deeply classified by the US intelligence agencies.

Why is it necessary to beware of such formations?

Surprisingly, you have to be very careful with shapes like fireballs. The fact is that the electric discharge following touching such a substance produces a completely inadequate effect on the human body.

Some believe that people who have experienced a ball lightning current open the so-called third eye, when an individual can predict and predict future events. Here it is worth paying attention to the Holy Scriptures. It contains clear indications that these are the machinations of the devil's power. How much this corresponds to the truth, we will not delve into now, however, even many researchers of paranormal phenomena tend to believe that the question of what ball lightning looks like and what this phenomenon is, note the fact that this phenomenon is simply not studied , not to mention whether he is divine or truly diabolical power.

Impact on the human body and brain

Unfortunately, our body is affected by many factors. Who has not heard of the full moon, when dark forces roam in the form of vampires or werewolves?

Yes, indeed, a satellite of the Earth is capable of exerting a rather large influence on a person, but for sure no one thinks about the fact that practically the same effect can be obtained with the appearance of ball lightning (in most cases this happens much faster, and in people prone to the influence of third-party forces or those who are believed to have psychic abilities).

What does ball lightning look like in a house? And how to behave when it appears?

Now we come to one of the most "sore" questions. If such a formation in the form of a ball or hemisphere flies into the house, first of all, you need not to move, since ball lightning reacts precisely to movement, and it is not always clear why.

Some professionals who know a lot about phenomena of a detailed kind recommend lying on the floor, and not standing upright. It is believed that in this case, the ball can simply fly from above without affecting the person, since it itself does not cause air vibrations, thereby creating an area of ​​low pressure, where ball lightning can move initially.

In general, this is not an isolated case. It is only worth noting that almost any person who encounters such a unique natural phenomenon as ball lightning is subject to a certain risk, not to mention death.

Nevertheless, quite a lot of examples can be given when people even experienced contact with such a “touchy” as a physical substance in the form of ball lightning, and after that they received more superpowers that are not characteristic of ordinary people at birth. It is believed that this process in the transformation of DNA (the main chain of genes at birth) may be responsible for some electromagnetic impulses transmitted in the form of ball lightning. In addition, it is possible that some encoded information hidden from prying eyes may be hidden here.

Conclusion

Here, in fact, we briefly reviewed the main topic "ball lightning: what does this phenomenon look like?". As is already clear, there is still no consensus even among scientists about the explanation of this unique phenomenon. It remains only to guess what is actually hidden behind it.

Ball lightning

Ball lightning is a luminous spherical bunch of electric current. Even if it exists, and some scientists doubt it, it is very rare. However, many amazing stories are known about the tricks of ball lightning. For example, in 1936, English newspapers talked about ball lightning, which first cut telephone wires near a house, then flew through an open window and flopped into a barrel of water standing by the window. Eyewitnesses claim that the water in the barrel began to boil.

Appearances of ball lightning

Rare occurrences of ball lightning seem to occur after a normal lightning strike. The size of these glowing balls fluctuate between the size of a plum and a soccer ball. Fireballs come in red, orange, yellow, or blinding white. As the orb approaches, a menacing hiss and buzz is heard.

Types of ball lightning

Based on eyewitness accounts, two types of ball lightning are distinguished. The first is red lightning coming down from the cloud. When such a heavenly gift touches some object on earth, such as a tree, it explodes.

Another type of ball lightning travels along the earth's surface for a long time and glows with a bright white light. The ball is attracted to good conductors of electricity and can touch anything - the ground, a power line or a person.