History of the Lightning Rod: How the Lightning Rod was Invented and Terrified & Offended People
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Date: 2022-12-27
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Comments and reviews: 20
Robert
About 20 years ago I was with a friend where a women's football game (New York Sharks) was about to start, when a strong thunderstorm came up as we entered from the parking lot via the ticket booth. (I think we wound up getting in free under the circumstances) We were getting drenched, but rather than head directly to get under the metal stands, I went onto the field that was surrounded by 4 identical lighting towers. I explained later to my friend that within that symmetric shape we'd be completely safe not only from direct lightning strike, but also from ground currents should the towers be struck. With all the towers at the same height, there would be zero potential difference horizontally within that space. Meanwhile places just outside that ring of towers would be subject to ground currents in case of lightning.
I've had trouble convincing people since then that sports fields arranged like that are safe from lightning. I've wanted to make a small model and show that I could get sparks to discharge to the pins but never to the space between them. I'd also like to be able to show the absence of lateral current between the bases of the pins. I've just never had the equipment.
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About 20 years ago I was with a friend where a women's football game (New York Sharks) was about to start, when a strong thunderstorm came up as we entered from the parking lot via the ticket booth. (I think we wound up getting in free under the circumstances) We were getting drenched, but rather than head directly to get under the metal stands, I went onto the field that was surrounded by 4 identical lighting towers. I explained later to my friend that within that symmetric shape we'd be completely safe not only from direct lightning strike, but also from ground currents should the towers be struck. With all the towers at the same height, there would be zero potential difference horizontally within that space. Meanwhile places just outside that ring of towers would be subject to ground currents in case of lightning.
I've had trouble convincing people since then that sports fields arranged like that are safe from lightning. I've wanted to make a small model and show that I could get sparks to discharge to the pins but never to the space between them. I'd also like to be able to show the absence of lateral current between the bases of the pins. I've just never had the equipment.
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Da
5: 32 - I think it would be good to cut Ben some slack here. If we were to fly kites or balloons or something up a lot higher than he envisioned his lightning rods to be, then clouds COULD be drained of their charge. Viola. No more lightning.
But alas, his version of the invention was sufficient to prevent the mischief, so I haven't heard of anyone trying to accomplish this grander goal of preventing lightning altogether. But it should be easy enough to do if anyone cared to. And Franklin is well deserving of credit for this idea.
Yet ANOTHER amazing video in this most excellent vid series. HUGE congrats, Kathy. Very nicely done.
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5: 32 - I think it would be good to cut Ben some slack here. If we were to fly kites or balloons or something up a lot higher than he envisioned his lightning rods to be, then clouds COULD be drained of their charge. Viola. No more lightning.
But alas, his version of the invention was sufficient to prevent the mischief, so I haven't heard of anyone trying to accomplish this grander goal of preventing lightning altogether. But it should be easy enough to do if anyone cared to. And Franklin is well deserving of credit for this idea.
Yet ANOTHER amazing video in this most excellent vid series. HUGE congrats, Kathy. Very nicely done.
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CharlesM1957
I've always loved the Franklin stories most of all. When abroad in France, he was known as quite the lady's man in the brothels, what a fun period in history but. he wasn't always very successful in his affairs of the heart. My aunt; a Victorian proper Irish Catholic, born in the late 1800s actually owned an original Franklin stove she inherited from her grandmother. I remember cleaning that thing during my summertime visits. Although small comparing to others from that time period it was still a beast. That was about 70 years ago! Thank you.
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I've always loved the Franklin stories most of all. When abroad in France, he was known as quite the lady's man in the brothels, what a fun period in history but. he wasn't always very successful in his affairs of the heart. My aunt; a Victorian proper Irish Catholic, born in the late 1800s actually owned an original Franklin stove she inherited from her grandmother. I remember cleaning that thing during my summertime visits. Although small comparing to others from that time period it was still a beast. That was about 70 years ago! Thank you.
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sidjoo
If only someone ask him if there will be charge powerful enough to penetrate spark gap from cloud to your roof but no inch further - that lighting wouldn't strike there in the first place,
so the best way for destruction - put recieving antenna in form of cross (to perpendicular by especially with rounded ends, and in form of cross, since electric current will induce perpendicular magnetic field which will induce perpendicular electric current,
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If only someone ask him if there will be charge powerful enough to penetrate spark gap from cloud to your roof but no inch further - that lighting wouldn't strike there in the first place,
so the best way for destruction - put recieving antenna in form of cross (to perpendicular by especially with rounded ends, and in form of cross, since electric current will induce perpendicular magnetic field which will induce perpendicular electric current,
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Lawrence
Lightning rods must have seemed great, back in the day when people didnt have anything else resembling electrical cabling in their houses.
Nowadays, we have to watch out for transient induced currents in any nearby wiring. Electronics (e. g. networking equipment) is particularly vulnerable to this. You can suffer some expensive damage during a lightning strike, even without a direct hit.
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Lightning rods must have seemed great, back in the day when people didnt have anything else resembling electrical cabling in their houses.
Nowadays, we have to watch out for transient induced currents in any nearby wiring. Electronics (e. g. networking equipment) is particularly vulnerable to this. You can suffer some expensive damage during a lightning strike, even without a direct hit.
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Praveen
Why are spikes fitted to the tops of lightning rods? It seems to me that spikes would only make sense if the idea was to bleed off charge from the clouds and help reduce the chance of a strike.
If the rod is only useful in case of an actual strike, would those spikes really do anything?
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Why are spikes fitted to the tops of lightning rods? It seems to me that spikes would only make sense if the idea was to bleed off charge from the clouds and help reduce the chance of a strike.
If the rod is only useful in case of an actual strike, would those spikes really do anything?
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Edgar
The only other place I've read about the religious objections to lightning rods was in History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom, by Andrew Dickson White, published in 1894. It's a great example of theology eventually giving way to science and practicality.
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The only other place I've read about the religious objections to lightning rods was in History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom, by Andrew Dickson White, published in 1894. It's a great example of theology eventually giving way to science and practicality.
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MrBanzoid
Isaac Asimov wrote an essay called The Fateful Lightning published in the June 1969 edition of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, aliso published in The Stars in their Courses in 1971 and in The Edge of Tomorrow in 1985. It's a good story in Asimov's typical style.
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Isaac Asimov wrote an essay called The Fateful Lightning published in the June 1969 edition of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, aliso published in The Stars in their Courses in 1971 and in The Edge of Tomorrow in 1985. It's a good story in Asimov's typical style.
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GerardPM
Well done and at the epicenter of my interests! Thanks! Do you (or anyone) have any pointers for me about a fire in an english prison in the 1700s that involved some lightning rod controversy? I can't remember where I read this and my internet searches haven't helped.
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Well done and at the epicenter of my interests! Thanks! Do you (or anyone) have any pointers for me about a fire in an english prison in the 1700s that involved some lightning rod controversy? I can't remember where I read this and my internet searches haven't helped.
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shenandoah
Let us not forget those wonderful rods also spread out the ground charge of a feeler that reaches up to complete the circuit in a lightning strike, a fact that farmers have understood for over a hundred years. But still a very good post all the same. Nice job.
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Let us not forget those wonderful rods also spread out the ground charge of a feeler that reaches up to complete the circuit in a lightning strike, a fact that farmers have understood for over a hundred years. But still a very good post all the same. Nice job.
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solarwonder
this does alot as homework to reinforce my reading of 'draw the lightning down. ' however, even with animated hand movement and expression, this needs more change of scene and change of angle of the camera. it starts to get boring, despite the content.
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this does alot as homework to reinforce my reading of 'draw the lightning down. ' however, even with animated hand movement and expression, this needs more change of scene and change of angle of the camera. it starts to get boring, despite the content.
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B.
Before hearing the video, my guess is that devotees to Abrahamism thought that if you were struck by lightening, it was the will of the god they believe in, and that putting up lightning rods thwarted the will of the god and was therefore blasphemous.
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Before hearing the video, my guess is that devotees to Abrahamism thought that if you were struck by lightening, it was the will of the god they believe in, and that putting up lightning rods thwarted the will of the god and was therefore blasphemous.
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willis
Youve got a knack, Miss Kathy, no doubt. Do you like coffee and extended discussions after supper, lol. Seriously, you explain well that which piques your interests. Great job, my friend, from these early videos through to your most recent ones.
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Youve got a knack, Miss Kathy, no doubt. Do you like coffee and extended discussions after supper, lol. Seriously, you explain well that which piques your interests. Great job, my friend, from these early videos through to your most recent ones.
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larry
This old electronic/computer/network tech loves your historical stories and you have brought more knowledge and understanding to me. Though retired, electricity is still an everyday involvement, while most is volunteering my skills.
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This old electronic/computer/network tech loves your historical stories and you have brought more knowledge and understanding to me. Though retired, electricity is still an everyday involvement, while most is volunteering my skills.
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dbmail545
There is a Mark Twain story about a person oversold on lightning rods who mounted so many on his house that when the first thunderstorm came over it, the house got so many lightning strikes it sounded like an artillery barrage.
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There is a Mark Twain story about a person oversold on lightning rods who mounted so many on his house that when the first thunderstorm came over it, the house got so many lightning strikes it sounded like an artillery barrage.
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Jeff
Apparently, not only does lightning strike a lightning rod because of its height (closer to the clouds) but the charge of the clouds/lightning attract the opposite charge UP the rod. which in turn attracts the lightning TO the rod.
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Apparently, not only does lightning strike a lightning rod because of its height (closer to the clouds) but the charge of the clouds/lightning attract the opposite charge UP the rod. which in turn attracts the lightning TO the rod.
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Vanger
33k views. This stuff is really a secret LOL!
This is the most interesting stuff I've seen in my life (binge watched episodes 1-10.
I'm very happy and proud to become a part of this small secret society!
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33k views. This stuff is really a secret LOL!
This is the most interesting stuff I've seen in my life (binge watched episodes 1-10.
I'm very happy and proud to become a part of this small secret society!
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Diesunddas
It's amazing that Franklin, who was quite a capable (and rich) businessman refused to patent his inventions.
fascinating man. Shame he is (scientifically) kinda reduced to the Kite-lightning story.
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It's amazing that Franklin, who was quite a capable (and rich) businessman refused to patent his inventions.
fascinating man. Shame he is (scientifically) kinda reduced to the Kite-lightning story.
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Bomba
My father an electrical engineer said many buildings burnt down following a lightning strike to a lightning rod. Apparently a wire large enough to carry that amount of current to ground was rarely used.
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My father an electrical engineer said many buildings burnt down following a lightning strike to a lightning rod. Apparently a wire large enough to carry that amount of current to ground was rarely used.
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Non
I love your videos and research, Kathy, but could I request that we just listen to your lovely voice?
I find the background music very distracting and headache-generating.
Very best wishes to you.
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I love your videos and research, Kathy, but could I request that we just listen to your lovely voice?
I find the background music very distracting and headache-generating.
Very best wishes to you.
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