Lightning strikes have an aura of myth and legend around them, and their mystical reputation is inflated by stories that tell of people who, after having been hit by lightning, are suddenly able to speak a new language or play the piano expertly. However, such embellished stories often fail to distinguish truth from fiction and rarely acknowledge the devastating toll that getting struck by lightning can have on your body and mind. Which is where TPWKY hopes to set the record straight. In this episode, we explore what lightning is, how it can cause injuries or death, and what distinguishes it from other electrical shocks. Then, rather than focusing solely on the history of lightning, we take a tour through four vignettes in the broad history of electricity that tell of ways humanity has harnessed it for both bad and good. By the end of the episode, you’ll be shocked by the story of a dentist from Buffalo, electrified with the knowledge of how lightning forms, energized with the current status of lightning around the globe, and left with no resistance to terrible electricity-themed puns. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts!
| History | Biology |
| Jorgensen, Timothy J. Spark: The Life of Electricity and the Electricity of Life. Princeton University Press, 2021. | Jain, S. and Bandi, V., 1999. Electrical and lightning injuries. Critical care clinics, 15(2), pp.319-331. |
| Helfman, Gene, et al. The diversity of fishes: biology, evolution, and ecology. John Wiley & Sons, 2009. | Fontanarosa, P.B., 1993. Electrical shock and lightning strike. Annals of emergency medicine, 22(2), pp.378-387. |
| Bouquegneau, Christian. “Mythology of lightning.” 2011 7th Asia-Pacific International Conference on Lightning. IEEE, 2011. | Cooper, M.A., 2002. A fifth mechanism of lightning injury. Academic Emergency Medicine, 9(2), pp.172-174. |
| Crampton, William GR. “Electroreception, electrogenesis and electric signal evolution.” Journal of fish biology 95.1 (2019): 92-134. | Ritenour, A.E., Morton, M.J., McManus, J.G., Barillo, D.J. and Cancio, L.C., 2008. Lightning injury: a review. Burns, 34(5), pp.585-594. |
| Gallant, Jason R., et al. “Genomic basis for the convergent evolution of electric organs.” Science 344.6191 (2014): 1522-1525. | Cooper, M.A. and Holle, R.L., 2019. Reducing lightning injuries worldwide. Springer International Publishing. |
| Gazdag, Gábor, and Gabor S. Ungvari. “Electroconvulsive therapy: 80 years old and still going strong.” World Journal of Psychiatry 9.1 (2019): 1. | Cooper, M.A., Andrews, C.J., Holle, R.L., Blumenthal, R.Y.A.N., Navarrete-Aldana, N. and Auerbach, P.S., 2017. Lightning-related injuries and safety. Wilderness Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Elsevier, pp.71-117. |
| Suleman, Raheem. “A brief history of electroconvulsive therapy.” American Journal of Psychiatry Residents’ Journal 16.1 (2020): 6-6. | Finney, D.L., Doherty, R.M., Wild, O., Stevenson, D.S., MacKenzie, I.A. and Blyth, A.M., 2018. A projected decrease in lightning under climate change. Nature Climate Change, 8(3), pp.210-213. |
| Video: Shock & Awe: The Story of Electricity | Williams, E.R., 2005. Lightning and climate: A review. Atmospheric research, 76(1-4), pp.272-287. |
| Podcast Episode: Outside Podcast: Struck by Lightning | Fill, J.M., Davis, C.N. and Crandall, R.M., 2019. Climate change lengthens southeastern USA lightning‐ignited fire seasons. Global change biology, 25(10), pp.3562-3569. |
| Podcast Episode: National Park After Dark: A Fatal Lightning Strike and the Jenny Lake Rangers |
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