In the event of finding oneself caught in a lightning storm, it’s advisable to wet the head with rainwater as a protective measure against the potentially lethal effects of a lightning strike. Scientists have revealed that this action could substantially increase survival chances by up to 90%, primarily by reducing the likelihood of attracting lightning bolts.
Nevertheless, scientists caution that the optimal course of action is to avoid venturing outdoors during a lightning storm altogether.
A team led by engineer René Machts from Ilmenau University of Technology in Germany conducted experiments that provided practical evidence supporting the notion that rain-wet skin might offer better protection against lightning strikes compared to dry skin. The researchers emphasized that this finding was based on experiments conducted on human head phantoms.
Given the extreme danger posed by lightning strikes, which can deliver currents exceeding 200 kiloamperes—far surpassing the lethal threshold for humans—Machts and his colleagues aimed to investigate how surface moisture affects the path of lightning across a human head.
For their study, the researchers constructed two artificial human heads meticulously designed to replicate the electrical conductivity properties of real human skulls. These synthetic heads were created using CT scan data and comprised a scalp, skull, and internal tissue volume. To accurately mimic the properties of human tissue, the researchers selected materials such as sodium chloride, water, graphite, and agarose.
Through their experiments, Machts and his team sought to shed light on the potential protective benefits of wetting the head with rainwater during a lightning storm, providing valuable insights into strategies for mitigating the risks associated with such hazardous weather conditions.
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