NOVA - Lightning!

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Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Type: DVD
Studio: WGBH Boston
Release Date: 2004-06-29
Lightning! takes you on a high-voltage trip into the most electrically charged weather in the world—culminating in a dazzling lightning show set to music that rivals the most extraordinary fireworks display. The program also visits with some of lightning's tragic victims who thought they were out of harm's way.

Lightning's fleeting rivers of electricity strike Earth 6,000 times a minute; jolt every commercial airplane one to two times a year; wipe out power to entire cities; hit 1,000 people annually; and account on average for more deaths than hurricanes and tornadoes put together.

Join the scientists as they tempt nature by creating the world's tallest lightning rod, a wire leading thousands of feet into storm clouds, which triggers awe-inspiring thunderbolts a few hundred feet from the observers—and creates a chunk of "petrified" lightning. "I think lightning fascinates everyone," says "stormchaser" Dan Davis. "It's a personification of the intensity, the chaos and the unpredictability of nature." On one DVD5 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: 4 x 3 full frame.

Lightning, Lightning, Lightning!
Along with National Geographic, Nova consistently produces the best science programs on the market. In addition to the more current "Hunt for the Supertwister" (also from Nova), this is a fascinating look at one of nature's most beautiful yet frightening phenomenon. Not only does the program explain the hows and whys of lightning but it also goes along with a number of scientists to follow their research into the nature and genesis of lightning. Of particular note are the scientists in Florida and New Mexico who fire rockets into the heart of a thunderstorm in an effort to "capture" nature's electical fireworks. Fascinating footage that always gets the attention of my students Great program for educational use as well as the general public. Fine narration by Al Roker, who also did the excellent PBS series "Savage Skies" Highly recommended.