Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Ball lightning burn.

Gennaro Selvaggi1, Stan Monstrey, Dennis von Heimburg

  • 1Department of Plastic Surgery-Burn Center, UZ Gent, Belgium.

Annals of Plastic Surgery
|June 7, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Ball lightning, a rare electrical phenomenon, caused severe burn injuries in a father and daughter indoors. This case highlights the dangers of this unexplained fireball phenomenon.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Second Report of the American Intestinal Transplant Working Group: New Insights Into Risk Factors, Treatment Regimens, and Outcomes of Malignancy After Intestinal Transplantation.

Transplantation·2026
Same author

Tailoring desensitization in intestinal transplants: C1q guided protocol for highly sensitized recipients.

Intestinal Failure (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

Sensory return in relationship with nerve adaption following face transplant: A multicenter cohort study.

Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS·2026
Same author

Commentary on: Along the Spectrum from Reduction to Mastectomy: Comparing the Opinions of an Online Transmasculine and Gender-Diverse Community on an Algorithmic Approach to Gender-Affirming Top Surgery.

Aesthetic plastic surgery·2026
Same author

Cell-Friendly Indirect 3D Printing Strategy for Scaffold Fabrication.

Macromolecular rapid communications·2026
Same author

Identifying risk and protective factors for burn wound infection: A retrospective study.

Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries·2025

Area of Science:

  • Atmospheric Physics
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Medical Science

Background:

  • Ball lightning is a rare, unexplained atmospheric electrical phenomenon.
  • It presents as a luminous, mobile fireball, often appearing indoors during thunderstorms.
  • Its exact nature and formation mechanisms remain subjects of scientific inquiry.

Observation:

  • Two cases of severe burn injuries from indoor ball lightning contact are reported.
  • A father and daughter sustained injuries after ball lightning entered their home via a chimney.
  • Patients exhibited signs consistent with both thermal and electrical trauma.

Findings:

  • The father sustained superficial and deep second-degree burns (4% total body surface area).
  • The daughter suffered extensive injuries, including superficial, deep second-degree, and third-degree burns (30% total body surface area).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Injuries were located on the face, neck, upper arms, and back.

    • Implications:

    • This study presents the first documented indoor ball lightning burn injuries.
    • It underscores the need for further research into ball lightning's properties and associated risks.
    • Understanding these injuries is crucial for developing appropriate medical treatment and preventative measures.