Storm-born Glows: The Enduring Mystery of Ball Lightning
Ball lightning refers to glowing spheres seen during thunderstorms that can drift for seconds or longer and even pass through windows or cause damage; while reports span centuries, the evidence is largely eyewitness-based and puzzling. A 2014 Tibetan Plateau observation captured the optical spectrum of a ball, supporting the idea that vaporized ground silicon burns in air, but a comprehensive, widely accepted explanation for ball lightning remains elusive.