Fulgurites

 

Fulgurites: An amazing feat of the natural world which many people have never even heard about.

 

Truth be told, I didn't know what they were either until I overheard my younger brothers listening to a Jonathan Park episode about them, a year or so back.  

 

 

 This diagram demonstrates how fulgurites are formed, in dune/sandy locations.

 

So...What are they, you might be wondering?

 

Fulgurite comes from the Latin word fulgur, which means lightning.  Have you heard of petrified wood? Well, a fulgurite has been called petrified lightning.

 

Sometimes, when cloud-to-ground lightning occurs, and an ample amount of silica (sand) is available wherever the lightning happens to strike down, the heat of the lightning instantly forges the silica particles together, creating a glassy sculpture, and that is what a fulgurite is.

 

This can take place literally in one second. Instantly, as soon as the lightning touches the sand, it melts, leaving behind a marvelous piece of uniqueness...a physical signature of where the lightning had been.

 

Every lightning strike has the capability to create a fulgurite, because lightning typically ranges from 11,000 degrees to 50,000 degrees, Fahrenheit.

 

The heat required to make a fulgurite is around 11,000 degrees, and most lightning strikes which occur are 50,000. Did you know that the sun's surface is only 10,000 degrees? 

 

This means that lightning is typically MUCH hotter than even the sun's surface!

A drawing representing what a fulgurite looks like.

Fulgurites are relatively rare. They are not something most people find in their backyard, and even if there were to be fulgurites in their own neighborhood, they would probably not notice them or be able to find them. (Assuming of course that they even knew what these formations were, to begin with!)

 

There are two different types of fulgurites.

 

1., Sand, and 2., rock.

 

Below is pictured a rock fulgurite formation. These sometimes occur when lightning strikes pavement or other types of rock, usually on mountaintops depending on the mountain peak's altitude.

 

 

Below, is another sand fulgurite. This particular one as you can see is called an "exogenic" fulgurite.

 

Here is what excavating fulgurites can look like, depending on the terrain.

Fulgurites can be found on the ground surface or underneath the soil, depending on how the lightning struck, and where it struck.

 

Speaking of which, where exactly can you find these neat little (and sometimes NOT so little) formations? I'm pleased to say that my home state, Florida, bears the title of having the largest fulgurite found on its soils.

Fulgurites can only form when silica is present in the soil. Therefore, it must be at least a half-way sandy ground cover. Fulgurites can not be made when too much clay composes the soil.

 

Many fulgurite-hunters have found petrified lighting on undeveloped, relatively remote beach dunes.

Also, they can be found in deserts.

 

Don't want to travel all away around the globe to the Sahara desert? Sometimes you can find fulgurites around metal poles which have been struck by lighting. (Assuming of course that there was silica in the soil!)

Fulgurites are very fragile structures. Their interior is glassy and smooth, while their exterior is usually sandy and gnarled, from where the silica particles did not melt completely.

 

Lately, I've been extremely fascinated with how fulgurites come into existence, and with learning about them just in general.

 

At first glance, they may appear to be nothing that exciting or incredible. And really, unless you KNOW for certain what you're looking for, how could you realistically every differentiate a fulgurite from your average rock or piece of debris?

 

But think about it for a moment. Isn't this a lot like life? Oftentimes, we miss out on the little details. We fail to see the beauty in God's creation because we are too busy trying to keep up with our hectic schedules. To find a fulgurite takes immense patience. And to be able to even notice one's presence takes skill and discernment.

 

Fulgurites testify greatly to the mighty work of our Creator, YHWH God. They are just one of the immense wonders He has created in this world, in this universe. Think about how the Lord created lighting, to begin with. Revelation declares that "lightnings and thunderings proceed" from the throne of God. I believe God created lightning to give us a tiny taste of His all-consuming might and power. So much strength and energy is thrust into each bolt of lighting, that one strike alone could power a modern, electric running house for a week. One strike.

 

Even the little detail of fulgurites shows me that God's plans are intricate and beyond my comprehension. I never even knew these formations existed, but they have been around since lightning first came into existence!

 

It makes me think...How many more such wonders exist which we as humankind haven't even begin to discover?