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Environment
Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University

Scientists have started steering lightning with lasers – here's how

United States Trumpf
Triff/Shutterstock

Lightning may look beautiful but every year it kills thousands of people, does huge amounts of damage to buildings and infrastructure, and causes power outages.

The only protection we have is lightning rods, which were invented 300 years ago and only protect a small area.

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