News Plants

Tree tops sparkle with electricity during thunderstorms

Storm-driven charges ignite tiny flashes across leaves and needles, a new study reports

A spruce branch in front of a black background with small beams and specks of blue and purple light emanating from the needle tips

In the lab, light and electrical charge are shed from the tips of spruce needles, induced by electrical plates. These discharges have recently been seen outdoors, induced by a thunderstorm.

William Brune

By Lily Burton

Thunderstorms may bring more than rain and gloom. The same forces that cause thunder and lightning also make treetops sparkle in ultraviolet light, like a Christmas tree topper invisible to the human eye.