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Staged Lightning

Details of lightning-struck bone – improving identification of this trauma

05 December 2021

Staged Lightning

Thunderbolt and lightning, very very frightening. And for good reason: lightning kills thousands around the world each year, but we know strikingly little about how these bolts from the sky impact the body. A new study has examined the effect of lightning strikes on human bones. The researchers applied an artificial bolt of lightning-mimicking energy directly through a bone sample (left, before applying the current, centre during, and right after). They saw unique patterns of damage caused by a high-pressure shock wave and the electric current that causes an internal restructuring of fibres, leading to deformation and cracking. This distinct footprint of damage could help identify victims when other telltale signs are absent, which may improve our estimates of the burden these incidents present, and builds the growing knowledge base to help inform the recovery of survivors and protect people at risk, making sure lightning doesn’t strike a killing blow.

Written by Anthony Lewis

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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