Trees Emit Electrical Glow During Storms in North Carolina
Researchers from Penn State University have documented a natural phenomenon where trees emit a faint electrical glow during thunderstorms. This phenomenon, known as corona discharge, was observed for the first time outside a laboratory setting. The team, led by William Brune and Patrick McFarland, used a modified van equipped with specialized instruments to capture these events. The study took place in North Carolina, where the researchers recorded corona discharges on a sweetgum tree and a loblolly pine during a thunderstorm. These discharges occur due to strong electrical imbalances during storms, causing positive charges to travel up trees and concentrate at leaf tips, emitting a glow in the ultraviolet range. 
