Researchers at the University of South Florida have found that lightning strikes led to the formation of a new
Professor Matthew Pasek investigated "petrified lightning" or fulgurite, a sintered material formed as a result of lightning passing through the earth's soilIn humid environments, such as Florida, where the material has been found, iron often accumulates and coversIn this case, the lightning strike not only burned the iron on the tree's roots, but also the natural carbon.
Two elements led to a chemical reaction, inwhich resulted in the formation of fulgurite, similar to a metal "ball". Inside it, the researchers found a colorful, crystal-like substance. It was calcium phosphite, which had never been found before on Earth and may represent a new group of intermediate materials between the phosphates common on our planet and the phosphides found in space.
We have never seen this material occur naturally on Earth—minerals like it can be found in meteorites and space—but we have never seen this particular material anywhere.
Matthew Pasek, geologist
Researchers conduct laboratory experimentsto try to recreate the conditions that led to the formation of the unknown material. So far they have not been successful, but scientists will continue to experiment.
Previous studies have suggested thatthe reduction of phosphates from lightning strikes (much more common and powerful) seems to have been widespread on the early Earth. The new material confirms that this was indeed possible. This and similar materials could play an important role in the development of life on Earth.
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