Lightning Can Strike From The Ground Up

Most lightning starts in the sky, but some bolts actually shoot upward from the ground. Tall buildings and towers can trigger these strikes, reaching out to connect with the clouds above.

While we usually think of electricity falling from the heavens, nature often works in reverse. When a tall structure is in the right position, it can initiate an electrical discharge that propagates into the atmosphere. Interestingly, even moving airplanes can trigger their own lightning strikes simply by passing through electrified clouds. Because of clever engineering, these planes can usually take a hit without any serious damage to the passengers inside.