The Earth’s love for all its elements is eternal. And beauty is an ability to heal and cleanse most of the damages if human actions won’t hinder them. One of such wonderful natural actions is Lighting. Thunderstorms!!
Every year, across the globe, an estimated 8 million lightning flashes occur in a single day. Did you know a single lightning stroke can heat up air around 30,000°C or 54,000°F? It is one of the incredible forces of nature that terrifies in a way with its plasmas and thundering sound. Thus, humans have always kept a distance from nature’s fury.
In the past few years, the scientific community has been unravelling the mysterious purpose of lighting. It is found lightning comes in handy for the soil. For instance, nitrogen is needed for plant growth. The fact is earth’s atmosphere holds 78% of nitrogen. However, the airborne nitrogen cannot be processed by plants.
Whenever lightning strikes which helps to separate the bond of the airborne nitrogen molecules. Therefore, free nitrogen atoms will be formed and they integrate with oxygen molecules constituting a compound called nitrates. These nitrates will reach the ground by rainfall, and plants can absorb this as natural fertiliser.
Interestingly, the lighting benefit doesn’t end here. Lately, there has been extended research to study the biological effects of lightning. For this purpose, lighting rods are placed, to conduct lighting through the soil. Unlike the atmospheric impact of lighting, the outcome of lighting is studied in the rhizosphere soil.
The rhizosphere is a medial area of soil, around the plant root. Here, biology and chemistry of the soil as it is influenced by the root studied during lightning. First observation is that the organic matter in the soil -the available potassium, copper, and calcium in the rhizosphere soil has increased.
Next, the bacterial observed species index has seen a positive change. This can diversify soil microorganisms and help the plant to grow better and healthier, and tolerate stress. Interestingly, researchers are exploring the possibilities of power generation while arresting the lightning effect. Imagine the potential we can unlock from the lighting. Lightning can be a potential yield for microecology, and plant growth. We are looking for a future where climate mysteries such as lighting can enhance climate action efforts!
Featured Photo: Photo by Johannes Plenio
Sources
- https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/types-of-weather/thunder-and-lightning/facts-about-lightning#:~:text=1%2C400%2C000%2C000%20strikes%20every%20year,around%2044%20strikes%20every%20second.
- https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/storms/thunder-and-lightning
- https://spectrumlocalnews.cohttps://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/000m/nc/triangle-sandhills/weather/2021/04/20/lightning–it-s-good-for-the-soil
- 4/42259/Rhizosphere.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9169052/#B30
