How Ligthning Shapes the Air We Breathe

“Imagine you’re caught in traffic on a summer afternoon. Storm clouds gather, lightning flashes—and while you worry about power outages or rain, something else is happening above your head.” “Each bolt of lightning produces nitrogen oxides—gases also found in car exhaust. These gases influence air quality and even climate.” “For the first time, University of Maryland scientists used NASA’s TEMPO instrument to track how lightning changes the atmosphere in real time. By measuring storm activity every ten minutes, they discovered just how much nitrogen dioxide each flash releases.” “Lightning contributes 10 to 15 percent of nitrogen oxides worldwide. Unlike car pollution near the ground, lightning injects them high in the sky—where they boost ozone formation and affect climate far from the storm.” “But lightning also sparks hydroxyl radicals—nature’s ‘clean-up crew’ that breaks down methane and other pollutants. Understanding this balance helps scientists refine climate models and improve air-quality forecasts.” “Lightning isn’t just a light show—it’s a powerful force shaping the air we breathe.” #Lightning #AirQuality #ClimateScience #NASA #TEMPO #Atmosphere #WeatherResearch #Pollution #ScienceExplained