Lightning–Fascinating but dangerous


The powerful natural phenomenon of lightning and thunder has been fascinating mankind ever since.

In Greek mythology, Zeus, the Father of Gods, is seen as the dominion of the sky whose power is often envisioned as a lightning bolt. The Romans attributed this power to Jupiter and the continental Germanic tribes to Donar, known to the North Germans as Thor.

For a long time, the enormous force of a thunderstorm was associated with a supernatural power and humans felt at the mercy of this power. Since the Age of Enlightenment and the advancement of technology, this heavenly spectacle has been scientifically investigated. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin’s experiments proved that the phenomenon of lightning is an electrical charge, Lightning – Fascinating but dangerous.

Meteorological estimations say that about 9 billion lightning flashes occur each day around the world, most of them in the tropics. Nevertheless, the number of reported damage as a result of direct or indirect lightning effects is on the rise.

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When lightning strikes

Find out more about the formation and types of lightning. Our brochure “When lightning strikes” provides more detailed information on how to save lives and protect material assets.

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Lightning protection systems

Lightning protection systems are supposed to protect buildings from fire or mechanical destruction and to protect persons in buildings from injury or even death.

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Lightning protection zone concept

The lightning protection zone concept allows to plan, implement and monitor comprehensive protection measures. To this end, the building is subdivided into zones with different risk potentials.