When I read miss @suesa's misconception challenge, this is the first thing that popped in my mind
Credits: giphy.com
A Widespread Misconception
The misconception of lightning never hitting the same place twice is so popular that it was actually made into an idiom. This idiom or saying means that under the same circumstances an unusual event is impossible to happen twice. The phrase is widely spread that almost every part of the world knows it, especially the old people. For example, when someone got a very bad luck you could hear words of comfort like, "Hey it's ok, you will experience better things from now on. Lightning never strikes the same place twice anyway.". This words of comfort in some ways might really be effective, but still, a misconception is a misconception.
Where did this misconception come from?
Credits: giphy.com
SR an author from phrases.org.uk did the research of the origin of this misconception. Below is the summarized version that I made.
The Misconception appeared in:
• Wise Words and Wives' Tales: The Origins, Meanings and Time-Honored Wisdom of Proverbs and Folk Sayings Olde and New, 1993 by Stuart Flexner and Doris Flexner
• The Man in the Lower Ten, 1909 by Mary Roberts Rinehart
• Random House Dictionary of Popular Words and Sayings, 1996 by George Y. Titelman
• Thrilling Adventures of the Prisoner of the Border,1860 by Peter Hamilton Myers
Historical Evidences that Defy this Misconception
• Roy C. Sullivan, a park ranger of Shenandoah National Park was struck by lightning 7 times between 1942 and 1977. Sullivan earned a world record for this.
• Lee Trevino, a 2-time golf champion was struck by lightning 2 times while playing golf
• Melvin Roberts, a man from Seneca, South Carolina was struck 6 times (he claimed it was 11)
Real Time Evidences that Defy this Misconception
• Lightning strikes at Skyscrapers more than twice(tens to hundreds times a year), the Empire State Building on the average is struck 20-25 a year.
The Origin of Lightning and the science behind it
Credits: nasa.gov
Thanks to Ben Franklins' kite experiment we now know that lightning is a form of electricity. Although there are modern controversies behind it, especially the one proposed by science historian Tom Tucker. In 2003 Tucker said that Franklin never performed the experiment and the experiment itself is impossible to be accomplished. The MythBusters, a television series performed a simulation. They found out that Franklin might have a heart failure due to being electrocuted if ever he performed the experiment. But they also analyzed that sending electricity through the damp string to the ground is indeed possible.
But how is it formed?
Lightning is formed during a thunderstorm. The temperature in a thunderstorm is relatively low which made some raindrops frozen. These frozen raindrops or little icicles are not stationary, in fact they are very mobile. These movements create friction between the icicles. If there is friction there is a separation of charge(positive(+) and negative(-)). The positive charges(protons) are formed upward and the negative charges(electrons) downward. We know from our high school physics that opposite charges attract. Because the lower part of the thunderstorm is negatively charge it causes the surface of the ground(initially neutral) to be positively charge. These charges will build up and a connection will eventually be established. And zap you'll have your lightning. And base on this analysis we could confidently say that lightning is massive form of static electricity.
Credits: weatherwizkids.com
A Misconception within a Misconception: Lightning strikes at the tallest object
Lightning in a sense is pretty much blind, it doesn't choose where will it strike until it reaches at most 100 meters from the ground. The probability of being struck by lightning increases in tall objects like skyscrapers because they lessen the gap(air) between the thunder cloud and the ground
Lightning Safety Tips
Credits: nasa.gov
Outdoor
• Stay in a sturdy building
• Avoid all contacts with water
• Avoid tall objects when outside
• Avoid open grounds
• Put feet together, crouch down and cover your ears(in an open ground)
Indoor
• Avoid contact with water
• Avoid metals connected outside like doorknobs
• Stay away from windows
Conclusion
Lightning is a misconception that was proven historically and presently. Most skyscrapers are hit more than twice every year and there were people who were struck numerous times. Sadly, the misconception about lightning is still accepted in some part of our world. So if you ever hear someone mention this misconception kindly tell him/her that indeed, lightning can hit the same place more than once.
Thanks for reading :)
Credits:
phrases.org.uk
stormhighway.com
nasa.gov
weatherwizkids.com
wikipedia.org/kite_experiment