One evening a heavy fog rolled in followed by a thunderstorm. Because of the fog you couldn't see the lightning strikes but the diffused light would flicker through the clouds in the sky. While standing at the front door looking out the window, I saw several bursts of light in the acre of yard to the north of my garage. It was something akin to giant fireflies or flash bulbs popping. Suddenly, directly in front of me, not more than 25 or 30 feet from the house (if you need more accuracy, it was between me and the crabapple tree) there was a spherical burst of lightning, probably 10 to 15 feet in diameter. I'd heard of ball lightning, but had never seen it before... or since. It was quite startliing.
Snapshot from a video showing a ball lightning burst.
It turned out to be created by CGI but is similar to
what I witnessed here in Duluth's rural outskirts.
Here are some things I learned about it by asking Bard, Google's new AI bot. What I found most interesting is the statement that there is no definitive answer as to what causes it. Based on my experience, it seemed like the atmosphere had an unusual density that night.
Ball lightning is a rare and unexplained phenomenon described as luminescent, spherical objects that vary from pea-sized to several meters in diameter. Thought [to be] usually associated with thunderstorms, the observed phenomenon is reported to last considerably longer than the split-second flash of a lightning bolt, and is a phenomenon distinct from St. Elmo's fire.
Though the exact nature of ball lightning is still unknown, there are a number of theories about its cause. Some scientists believe that it may be caused by the interaction of lightning with the Earth's atmosphere, while others believe that it may be caused by a chemical reaction. There is also some evidence that ball lightning may be caused by the release of energy from the Earth's core.
Whatever the cause, ball lightning is a fascinating phenomenon that has captured the imagination of people for centuries. It is a reminder of the power of nature and the mysteries that still remain to be solved.
Here are some of the theories about the cause of ball lightning:
- Lightning strike theory: This theory suggests that ball lightning is caused by a lightning strike that hits the ground and then travels up into the atmosphere. The lightning strike would create a plasma ball that would then float around in the air.
- Chemical reaction theory: This theory suggests that ball lightning is caused by a chemical reaction between two or more elements. The chemical reaction would create a plasma ball that would then float around in the air.
- Earth's core theory: This theory suggests that ball lightning is caused by the release of energy from the Earth's core. The energy from the Earth's core would create a plasma ball that would then float around in the air.
There is still no definitive answer to the question of what causes ball lightning. However, the theories that have been proposed are all plausible and provide a good starting point for further research.
I can't say for sure what caused it, but it was certainly fascinating. Here are some other theories about ball lightning at Wikipedia.
