How To Attract Lightning

How to Attract Lightning. To many people, the image of Benjamin Franklin standing in the middle of a thunderstorm holding a kite with a key tied to the end is the first thing that comes to mind when they think about ways to attract lightning. Although Franklin's method is largely considered ineffectual, it represents peoples' curiosity and fascination with this natural marvel. There are many myths surrounding lightning and how to attract it, here are some truths.

Step 1

Stand outside. The very act of being outside during a thunderstorm highly increases your chances of being struck by lightning, regardless of what you hold or wear.

Step 2

Hold a lightning rod, or stand near one. Although it isn't guaranteed, people generally use lightning rods (invented by Benjamin Franklin) to attract lightning on the tops of tall buildings. The electricity goes through the lightning, through a wire and into the ground instead of into the building and all of its electronic equipment.

Step 3

Be a man. For reasons unexplained, a study printed in1999, revealed that 84% of lightning fatalities between 1959 through 1994 were men. Men also accounted for 82% of injuries caused by lightning during the same time span.