✗ The myth everyone repeats
Kids learned that lightning never struck the same location twice, making previously struck buildings or people safe from future strikes.
✓ What is actually true
Lightning frequently strikes the same location multiple times. The Empire State Building is struck approximately 20-25 times per year. Tall structures, repeated patterns in geography, and areas with high electrical conductivity are more likely to be struck repeatedly. There's no mechanism that would prevent lightning from striking the same spot, and weather patterns often return to similar areas.
Reception
The receipts 3 sources
- Wikipedia: LightningPRIMARY
- Snopes: Lightning TwiceREFERENCE
- NOAA: Lightning FactsREFERENCE