From Nature Magazine: Spark of destruction. Tom Houghton (Media editor). This incredibly powerful moment — a lightning strike…

rjzimmerman:

From Nature Magazine:

Spark of destruction. Tom Houghton (Media editor). This incredibly powerful moment — a lightning strike during the Taal Volcano eruption in the Philippines back in January — looks like a dramatic oil painting by a nineteenth-century artist. Volcanic lightning is an incredible phenomenon caused by static electricity generated from ash particles colliding in the volcano plume. It results in the most breathtaking examples of destructive power. Credit: Domcar C Lagto/PACIFIC P/SIPA/Shutterstock