Short Wave Lightning Protection: Lasers, Rockets or Rods?
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Feb 10, 2023 
In this enlightening discussion, physicist Aurelien Roy from École Polytechnique near Paris unveils innovative lightning protection strategies using high-powered lasers. He critiques the limitations of traditional lightning rods, created over 250 years ago, and explains how lasers can potentially redirect strikes through air ionization. The intriguing conversation also highlights the challenges researchers face in predicting lightning behavior and the pivotal role of advancements in technology to enhance safety in the face of nature's unpredictable forces.
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Regina's Fear of Lightning
- Regina Barber loves thunderstorms, but only indoors.
- Outdoors, she gets scared and runs inside.
Real-World Lightning Impacts
- Lightning has far-reaching consequences beyond fear.
- It causes delays, damages infrastructure, and tragically, leads to fatalities.
Limitations of Lightning Rods
- Lightning rods, invented by Benjamin Franklin, are the only effective lightning protection.
- However, their range is limited to roughly their height.