Benjamin Franklin is credited with inventing the lightning rod, and for some 270 years it has remained the main tool for protecting buildings from destructive and potentially deadly thunderbolts. But ...

Scientists have found a competitor to the lightning rod — one of the most tried and true methods of controlling where lightning strikes. The new method is far more expensive, but it allowed scientists ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. There’s a reason lightning rods haven’t changed much since ...

Lightning rods have been used to guide lightning strikes for centuries, but now scientists have demonstrated something a bit more advanced than a humble metal stick. Beaming a high-powered laser into ...

SPOKANE, Wash.-- For the first time, scientists have proof that lasers can help direct where lightning strikes go. This may be the biggest breakthrough in lightning safety since Ben Franklin invented ...

Last year marked the 270th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s lightning rod — but it’s more than a relic of history. The Franklin rod remains in use today because the simple design exploits some ...

Researchers have successfully harnessed the power of lasers to deflect lightning strikes. IFLScience reports that Dr. Aurélien Houard and his team at ENSTA Paris have demonstrated that lasers can ...

Ian Whittaker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond ...