Lightning Disrupts Earth's Radiation Belt

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killer electrons

Space

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'Killer electrons' play pinball with space weather around Earth

Summary

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73% Informative

Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder say lightning could make ultrahot "killer electrons" rain down around our planet.

The discovery was made almost by chance while the team was studying satellite data that showed high-energy and high-speed "hot" electrons could be dislodged from the inner radiation belt.

The research could help scientists protect satellites and other instruments in orbit from damage, and assist in protecting astronauts from potentially lethal radiation.

Robert Lea is a science journalist in the U.K. whose articles have been published in Physics World , New Scientist , Astronomy Magazine , All About Space, Newsweek and ZME Science . He also writes about science communication for Elsevier and the European Journal of Physics . Rob holds a bachelor of science degree in physics and astronomy from the U.K.’s Open University . Follow him on Twitter @sciencef1rst..