With their enchanting evening glow, fireflies are one of the most iconic aspects of suburban American life, but how does this light actually work?

It’s been years since experts relied on the 30/30 rule, which went like this: If it takes less than 30 seconds to hear thunder after seeing a lightning flash, lightning is close enough to pose a ...

What scientists do know is that the flash is an attempt to dissipate the charge and restore balance. Sometimes a single lightning flash is enough, but a series of flashes may be needed.

The sound of thunder can only be heard for about 10 miles from a flash, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). So if you are over 10 miles away, all you are observing is lightning.

Usually, mountains, hills, trees or the curvature of the Earth prevent the observer from seeing an actual lightning flash. Instead, during heat lightning, the faint flash seen by the observer is ...