00:00There's no shortage of superpowers at Mother Nature's disposal, but scientists have added
00:09a new one to the list in a shocking new discovery. A look back at readings taken from a storm-chasing
00:18plane back in 2012 has revealed the remarkable air-cleaning properties of lightning, according
00:24to meteorologists at Penn State. New research published in Science and the Journal of Geophysical
00:30Research, Atmospheres, suggests lightning plays a key role in zapping away greenhouse gases,
00:37much more so than previously thought. According to research, lightning bolts produce vast amounts
00:44of oxidants that trap and break down pollutants like carbon monoxide and methane. The measurements
00:50were taken by a NASA plane observing the top anvil portion of storm clouds in Colorado and Oklahoma.
00:58Scientists originally dismissed the high oxidant levels detected as an instrument glitch. The new
01:04findings could change how atmospheric modeling is conducted. More research is needed due to the
01:10small sample size, but the researchers believe lightning storms could account for 2 to 16 percent
01:16of global atmospheric oxidation. And with lightning strikes on the rise due to climate change,
01:22it's worth taking another look.
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