The Labs That Go Boom: The Lightning Research Lab Builds its Own Bolts
Tuesday, September 4, 2012 - 14:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Build Your Own One of These John B. CarnettAt the University of Florida This month, as part of our special on the future of education, PopSci presents 10 labs where students do serious research (and career training) by blowing stuff up. Lab: Lightning Research Lab Career: Lightning-tolerant spacecraft designer, power utilities engineer A lucky few engineering students at the University of Florida get to do something vaguely magical: conjure their own lightning. To make bolts, students fire specially designed rockets, each of which trails metal wires connected to sensors, directly into thunderstorms. Students examine high-speed video of strikes to study lightning-bolt physics and test materials by directing bolts toward a target.