Chronic curiosity led Benjamin Franklin to fly a kite into a thunderstorm-he got a mild shock and proof that lightning is electrical. A year later, a Russian professor tried the experiment and was killed by a bolt of lightning that passed through his head. Safely insulated scientists have tried to duplicate Franklin's trick, hopeful that they can learn to cause lightning at will. But by last week even the U.S. Department of Defense was convinced that it is no small stunt to lure lightning out of a passing cloud.
Still the scientists keep trying....
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
