Lightning strikes can transform sand into 'petrified lightning' known as fulgurites.

Fulgurites are formed when a cloud-to-ground lightning discharge enters silica-rich soil or sand. The temperature of a lightning bolt can reach 30,000 Kelvin (approximately 53,540 degrees Fahrenheit). This heat is significantly higher than the 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit required to melt quartz sand. As the electricity travels through the ground, it vaporizes the moisture and melts the silica, which then cools rapidly into a glassy state. The term originates from the Latin word 'fulgur', meaning lightning. Scientists classify these structures into different types based on the material they form in, such as sand fulgurites or rock fulgurites. The interior of the tube is usually lined with smooth, bubbly glass known as lechatelierite. This mineraloid is a rare form of silica glass that does not have a crystalline structure. One of the longest fulgurites ever recovered was found in northern Florida in 1996. It measured roughly 17 feet in length and was meticulously excavated by researchers from the University of Florida. Fulgurites are invaluable to paleoclimatologists because they can trap gas bubbles from the ancient atmosphere. By analyzing these bubbles, researchers can determine the chemical composition of the air and the climate conditions at the time of the strike.