Lightning READING second af every day, al over the world, there are more than 10o lightning bolus. That's about million lightning bolts in one day ama us, but it ten us. We have good reason can also frighten States and Canada dle from about 100 people injured. It lightning, and 300 are strange that of all the people who die from lighming, 84 percent are is the main cause of torest fires: it starts more than 9,000 fires each year do not know exactly makes this electricity inside a Scientists inside cloud be as much as 100 million know extremely strong v From this electricity, a lightning like a of bright light, comes down from the sky. Its temperature can streak degrees Fahrenheit reach 50,000 within a few millionths a second. That's almost five times the It car mperature on the of quick. sun's surface. The lightning bolt is very at this at speed of 87,000 miles per second. A rocket traveling bult, we speed would reach the moon in 2.5 seconds, with the lightning hear thunder, which is the sound of hot air exploding see Lightning nnd thunder at the same time, we lightning first light travels a million imes faster than 5ound because However, muny buildings often strikes all Ligntr lng have lightning rods to protect them from lightning. When ground. strikes, the electricity goes sufely dow m the metal rod to the rod Benjamin Franklin, the American statesman, invented the lightning in That is why buildings like the Empire State Building in Ne City are safe. Lightning may hit this building as many as twelve mes in twenty minutes and as often 500 times a year. are not as easy to protect as buildings, and accidents do happen. In 1963 a Boeing 707 jet was hit by lightning and crashed. Eighty-one people died If you see thunder and lightning coming, here are some things you can do to protect yourself. Go inside a house, get into a car, or go under a bridge. If you cannot find shelter, go to the lowest point on the ground. If you are outside, remember that trees attract lightning especially tall trees. Never go under a tall tree that stands alone. li you are in a field, drop to your knees, bend forward, and put your hands on your knees. Do not lie down because the wet ground can carry lightning. Stay away from a lake, an ocean, or any other water. Don't touch or go near anything metal, such as a metal fence, golf clubs, and bicycles, because metal attracts lightning very quickly. Don't use a telephone except in an emergency. They say that lightning never hits the same place twice, but this is not true. One man, Roy Sullivan, was hit by lightning seven different imes in his life. He was injured each time but did not die. He died in 983, but not from lightning. He killed himself becouse he loved a