So this is what thunder looks like: the first images of a thunderclap

By Peter Hannam
Updated May 30 2015 - 11:08am, first published May 7 2015 - 1:28pm
Weatherzone Total Electricity Network picked up 16,311 lightning strikes during a big hail storm event over Sydney in April. Photo: Weatherzone
Weatherzone Total Electricity Network picked up 16,311 lightning strikes during a big hail storm event over Sydney in April. Photo: Weatherzone
Benjamin Franklin pioneered the technique 260 years ago.
Benjamin Franklin pioneered the technique 260 years ago.

The Earth cops 4 million lightning strikes a day but understanding their energy and the impact of the accompanying thunder has challenged scientists and meteorologists for centuries.