The powerful natural phenomenon of lightning and thunder has been fascinating mankind ever since. For a long time, the enormous force of a thunderstorm was associated with a supernatural power and humans felt at the mercy of this power. Since the Age of Enlightenment and the advancement of technology, this heavenly spectacle has been scientifically investigated. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin’s experiments proved that the phenomenon of lightning is an electrical charge.

Thunderstorm hazards

Meteorological estimations say that about 9 billion lightning flashes occur each day around the world, most of them in the tropics. Nevertheless, the number of reported damage as a result of direct or indirect lightning effects is on the rise.