Anywhere one encounters sand and thunderstorms, you may find fulgurites. Formed by the fusion of silica (quartz) sand and a lightning strike, these natural tubes or crusts mimic the path of the lightning bolt as it dispersed through the ground. Lightning can travel through sand to a depth of 50 feet, and fulgurites form when lightning temperatures reach at least 3270 degrees. As the bolt moves through the sand, it creates a 3D image of its pathway.
Fulgurites found on the beach are most often spotted by the trailing edge sticking out of the sand. Unlike Charlie's beautiful Sahara sand crystals he showed us last week, typical fulgurites are the color of the sand or substrate in which they were formed, and visually resemble, well... call it what you want. Lol!!
The world record for size was found in Florida in the 1990s and measures 17 feet long! An impressive collection can be found at the Outer Banks Beachcomber Museum as part of the Nellie Myrtle collection. Of course folks have now photoshopped fulgurites to the point where they resemble a T. Rex leg bone. To coin a phrase, fake news. Fulgurites are often called petrified or fossilized lightning, although there's nothing ancient about many of them.
Fulgurites found on the beach are most often spotted by the trailing edge sticking out of the sand. Unlike Charlie's beautiful Sahara sand crystals he showed us last week, typical fulgurites are the color of the sand or substrate in which they were formed, and visually resemble, well... call it what you want. Lol!!
The world record for size was found in Florida in the 1990s and measures 17 feet long! An impressive collection can be found at the Outer Banks Beachcomber Museum as part of the Nellie Myrtle collection. Of course folks have now photoshopped fulgurites to the point where they resemble a T. Rex leg bone. To coin a phrase, fake news. Fulgurites are often called petrified or fossilized lightning, although there's nothing ancient about many of them.
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