Gigantic lightning bolts are surging into space

Plus: Watch a massive comet crash into the sun and vaporize immediately Aug 10, 2022 [Blueprint]( Not automatic, not hydromatic …but it’s definitely lightning. Not just any lightning either – [these are gigantic jets of lightning]( 100 times stronger than normal bolts, which have been caught on camera surging into space. By the latest telescopic equipment? By NASA themselves? Nope – by a “citizen scientist” just like you or I, in Oklahoma, on a perfectly ordinary low-light camera. It then all got a bit more official when researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) heard word of the image and conducted their own investigations. And on the subject of techy, [check out this video]( of what happened when a YouTuber put a homemade jet engine on his bicycle – thoroughly entertaining. Good morning. I’m Alice, an Editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s get started. Last Sunday, Blueprint subscribers heard the world’s leading experts talk about whether – and when – we will face another mass extinction. And this week, premium subscribers will be treated to an exclusive interview with one of the scientists behind the faster boiling water breakthrough. Don't miss out — [subscribe to IE+ today]( to receive exclusive interviews, features, and much more. [Play]VIDEO OF THE DAY [A YouTuber put a homemade jet engine on his bicycle.]( [YouTuber put jet engine on bike.]( It was never going to end well ...or was it? [Must Read]MUST READ [Gigantic jets of lightning, 100 times stronger than normal bolts, are surging into space.]( [Gigantic lightning bolts.]( Gigantic jets of lightning, which the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) says are 100 times stronger than normal bolts, have been [caught on camera surging into space](. After hearing word of the original image, which was caught on camera by a “citizen scientist”, researchers at GTR analyzed additional data to unearth more information about the “gigantic jet” lightning bursts that were sent towards space over Oklahoma. Gigantic jets can occur anywhere from 1,000 to 50,000 times every year and have often been reported in the world's tropical regions. But the Oklahoma event stands out because it wasn't a part of a tropical storm. → From preliminary information available about the event, the discharge is the most powerful jet recorded so far, with an estimated 300 coulombs of electrical charge that was sent toward the ionosphere, the lower edge of space. A typical lightning bolt carries less than five coulombs of charge that is either discharged to the ground or two other clouds. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Linkedin]( [SCIENCE]SCIENCE [Watch a massive comet crash into the sun and vaporize immediately.]( A comet hit the sun while NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory was observing its movements. The [intense gravitational force]( caused coronal mass ejection to erupt from the other side of the sun. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( And Other Stories in Science - [3D-printing insects]( mixed with vegetables could help us to prevent food crisis. - Arcturus: Scintillating facts about the [fourth brightest star]( in the night sky. - Exploring [emotions, the brain, and free will]( with Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett. [premium] [INNOVATION]INNOVATION [Ukraine received HARM anti-radar missiles from the US. How do HARM missiles work?]( The Pentagon has finally admitted that a series of anti-radar [missiles were sent to the Ukraine]( in July of 2022. It said they wi ll be used to protect Ukrainian planes from being shot down by radar-guided Russian systems. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( And Other Stories in Innovation - Smart roads, wireless EV charging, and [the future of American infrastructure](. [premium] - China allegedly developed a new ‘[flying submarine]( drone that could penetrate aircraft carrier defenses. - The [Giant Magellan Telescope]( is one step closer to being the biggest ever built. [MAIL & MUSINGS]MAIL & MUSINGS Gigantic lightning bolts have been recorded surging into space. How could we best apply this new discovery? [Improve safety for people on Earth]( [Harness the electricity]( [Improve satellites in low-Earth orbit]( [Something else entirely]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Yesterday, we asked if you think the balloons that can sense earthquakes from the stratosphere will lead to some amazing interplanetary breakthroughs. And an up-beat 39 percent of you said yes, this could be pretty cool. 39% Yes, this could be amazing 35% Probably not, but it’s a nice idea 20% I don’t get the excitement here 6% No, they’re too frail [QUOTE OF THE DAY]QUOTE OF THE DAY “One must divide one's time between politics and equations. But our equations are much more important to me.” Albert Einstein 1879–1955 German-born theoretical physicist: C. P. Snow ‘Einstein’ in M. Goldsmith et al. (eds.) Einstein (1980). [THINGS WE LOVE]THINGS WE LOVE [image]( [Sensate Relaxation Device]( [image]( [Akorn Kamodo Grill]( [image]( [Elenco Robot]( [image]( [Wolverine Crosscut Paper Shredder]( [AND ANOTHER THING]AND ANOTHER THING - Researchers [hack locust brains]( to help diagnose cancer by smelling them. - What [Earth’s mysterious infancy]( tells us about the origins of life. (New Scientist) - CEO Mark Zuckerberg is '[creepy and manipulative]( says Meta's new AI chatbot. - Great Barrier Reef sees [record coral cover]( but it is highly vulnerable. (BBC) - Body posture [affects how the stomach absorbs]( oral medications. - Spiders seem to have REM-like sleep and [may even dream](. (Scientific Amercian) - Scientists create [rice grain-sized microbatteries]( to power 'smart dust'. Prepared by Alice Cooke Enjoy Reading? Forward this email to a friend. Was this email forwarded to you? [Join Free!]( [About Us]( [Advertise]( [Contact Us]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. Manage you e-mail preferences or unsubscribe [here](. © Copyright 2022 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 201 Spear Street, Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94105 | All Rights Reserved [Interesting Engineering]