Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
For decades, the recommended shape of a lightning rod was to be a sharp point. That was wrong, and blunt tips turned out to be much better lightning rods.
This video explains why that is the case.
-=] Patreon:
- patreon.com/c/TheDigitalMermaid
-=] Channels that have Helped Me;
* @ProjectBrupeg
* @OffGridGarageAustralia
* @AcornToArabella
* @BillCarlson
-=] References;
Lightning Rod Improvement Studies; C. B. Moore et. al
* Print Publication: 01 May 2000
* DOI: doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450-39.5.593
* URL: journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/39/5/1520-0450-39.5.593.xml
The Case for Using Blunt-Tipped Lightning Rods as Strike Receptors
C. B. Moore et. al.
* Print Publication: 01 Jul 2003
* DOI: doi.org/bxt6xp
* URL: journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/42/7/1520-0450_2003_042_0984_tcfubl_2.0.co_2.xml
Graupel
* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graupel
-=] Chapters;
0:00 - A Good Blunt, A Bad Tip
0:34 - The TL;DW
4:11 - Getting Nerdy; Caveat
4:46 - A Note On Charge Terminology and Classic Current
6:11 - The Cloud Charge Mechanism
7:39 - Temperature and The Charge Transfer Direction
9:12 - Ice Crystals, Graupel, Super-cooled Water and Ions
10:45 - The Negative Electric Field
11:57 - What Actually Is An Electron?
13:23 - Aluminium Atomic Structure and Electron Repulsion
15:37 - What Resists Electron's Being Pushed Down?
17:02 - Geometry and Electron Mobility
18:57 - System Voltage Potential And Tip Charge Amplification
20:25 - Stripping Air Molecules of Their Electrons
21:20 - The "Space Charge" Barrier
41:42 - It's All About Timing
-=] Image References;
Helmet
* Andrew Yamato - The Greek Phalank
* thegreekphalanx.org/helmets
Dr. Charles B Moore
* DaveThomasNMSR - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49800506
Tesla Coil Streamer
* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streamer_discharge#/media/File:Lightning_simulator_questacon.jpg
St. Elmo's Fire Airplane
* Ugo Méda
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=168418096
Franklin and Electricity
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33575176
Cumulonimbus Formation
* NOAA Tstorm-mature-stage.jpg:
* NOAA Tstorm-dissipating-stage.jpg:
* NOAA derivative work:
* Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10570783
Ice Crystals
* By Maxim Bilovitskiy - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45343144
Graupel
* By Cincotta1 - Own work, CC0
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=146197039
Cloud Charge Distribution
* © Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
* kids.britannica.com/students/assembly/view/139631
Aluminium Atom Structure (classic)
* Pumbaa (original work by Greg Robson), CC BY-SA 2.0 UK
* commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electron_shell_013_Aluminium.svg
Aluminium Lattice
* Matheustunes - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77505781
Sea of free electrons
* Saint Chemistry 10
* saintschemistry10.weebly.com/metallic-bonding.html
For decades, the recommended shape of a lightning rod was to be a sharp point. That was wrong, and blunt tips turned out to be much better lightning rods.
This video explains why that is the case.
-=] Patreon:
- patreon.com/c/TheDigitalMermaid
-=] Channels that have Helped Me;
* @ProjectBrupeg
* @OffGridGarageAustralia
* @AcornToArabella
* @BillCarlson
-=] References;
Lightning Rod Improvement Studies; C. B. Moore et. al
* Print Publication: 01 May 2000
* DOI: doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450-39.5.593
* URL: journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/39/5/1520-0450-39.5.593.xml
The Case for Using Blunt-Tipped Lightning Rods as Strike Receptors
C. B. Moore et. al.
* Print Publication: 01 Jul 2003
* DOI: doi.org/bxt6xp
* URL: journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/42/7/1520-0450_2003_042_0984_tcfubl_2.0.co_2.xml
Graupel
* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graupel
-=] Chapters;
0:00 - A Good Blunt, A Bad Tip
0:34 - The TL;DW
4:11 - Getting Nerdy; Caveat
4:46 - A Note On Charge Terminology and Classic Current
6:11 - The Cloud Charge Mechanism
7:39 - Temperature and The Charge Transfer Direction
9:12 - Ice Crystals, Graupel, Super-cooled Water and Ions
10:45 - The Negative Electric Field
11:57 - What Actually Is An Electron?
13:23 - Aluminium Atomic Structure and Electron Repulsion
15:37 - What Resists Electron's Being Pushed Down?
17:02 - Geometry and Electron Mobility
18:57 - System Voltage Potential And Tip Charge Amplification
20:25 - Stripping Air Molecules of Their Electrons
21:20 - The "Space Charge" Barrier
41:42 - It's All About Timing
-=] Image References;
Helmet
* Andrew Yamato - The Greek Phalank
* thegreekphalanx.org/helmets
Dr. Charles B Moore
* DaveThomasNMSR - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49800506
Tesla Coil Streamer
* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streamer_discharge#/media/File:Lightning_simulator_questacon.jpg
St. Elmo's Fire Airplane
* Ugo Méda
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=168418096
Franklin and Electricity
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33575176
Cumulonimbus Formation
* NOAA Tstorm-mature-stage.jpg:
* NOAA Tstorm-dissipating-stage.jpg:
* NOAA derivative work:
* Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10570783
Ice Crystals
* By Maxim Bilovitskiy - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45343144
Graupel
* By Cincotta1 - Own work, CC0
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=146197039
Cloud Charge Distribution
* © Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
* kids.britannica.com/students/assembly/view/139631
Aluminium Atom Structure (classic)
* Pumbaa (original work by Greg Robson), CC BY-SA 2.0 UK
* commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electron_shell_013_Aluminium.svg
Aluminium Lattice
* Matheustunes - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
* commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77505781
Sea of free electrons
* Saint Chemistry 10
* saintschemistry10.weebly.com/metallic-bonding.html
