Lightning crackles to life and evolves on Jupiter the same way as it does on Earth, a new study finds.
Jovian lightning, which occurs as frequently as the phenomenon does on Earth, was first spotted by NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft over 40 years ago. Back then, the well-traveled probe picked up faint radio signals spanning several seconds — nicknamed whistlers — that are expected from lightning strikes. At the time, these bolts of electricity certified Jupiter to be the only other planet besides Earth known to flaunt lightning strikes. Their evolution on the gaseous world, however, has puzzled scientists for decades.
