515-mile lightning flash caught from space

A jaw-dropping 515-mile lightning bolt lit up the skies from Texas to Kansas City, smashing previous records and reshaping our understanding of extreme weather. Thanks to advanced satellite tech, scientists like Randy Cerveny and Michael Peterson are uncovering the mechanics of "megaflash" lightning—rare, colossal discharges that span hundreds of miles across the sky. These massive bolts, emerging from long-lived, sprawling thunderstorms, pose real danger even when skies seem clear.