LIGHTNING

              Lightning is a brilliant electric spark discharge in the atmosphere, occurring within a thundercloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the ground. This enormous electrical discharge is caused by an imbalance between positive and negative charges. During a storm, colliding particles of rain, ice, or snow increase this imbalance and often negatively charge the lower reaches of storm clouds. Objects on the ground, like steeples, trees, and the Earth itself, become positively charged—creating an imbalance that nature seeks to remedy by passing current between the two charges.
             Some scientists think that Lightening may have played a part in the evolution of living organisms. The immense heat and other energy given off during a stroke have been found to convert elements into compounds that are found in organisms.
             It's true that being inside a building when lightening strikes is your safest bet, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take some precautions. If a building gets struck the electrical current will most likely travel through the wiring or plumbing before going into the ground. That's why you should stay off of corded phones (cellular and cordless are okay) and away from running water (so no showers or hand- or dish-washing). Don't use stoves, computers, or anything else that's connected to electricity

Lightning