It is five times hotter than the sun and turns sand to glass in an instant. It can shoot 80 kilometres up above storm clouds. And it may even have provided the original spark that created life itself. This pacy, stylish documentary reveals the full power of lightning, why it is so dangerous, and what scientists are doing to protect us. Statistically, you are most likely to be struck in Florida, playing golf on a Sunday in July. Hear victims tell touching stories of the real experience, and why they feel it has changed them forever. View cockpit footage of NASA pilots flying through active lightning storms and find out why some scientists think the pollution in big cities could be 'baiting' lightning on an incredible scale. The more we learn about this maverick force of nature, it seems, the more we have to fear...

Release:

November 29, 2004

Original language:

English

Producer company:

BBC
BBC Four

Mark Everest

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