The danger of ball lightning

Abstract

Ball lightning in close contact with living beings can strike them with electric current or high-frequency radio emission. The current, passing through the surface of the skin, can cause it to burn. The entry of current into the region of the heart or the respiratory center of the brain can lead to death. High-frequency radio emission from ball lightning occurs in the wavelength range of 1-10 cm and can be absorbed by liquid water. When ball lightning comes into close contact with the body, blood heating and muscle rupture can occur. Cases of the indicated action of ball lightning on people are given. It is shown that the charge of ball lightning can be kept in a shell consisting of polarized water molecules. The reason for the generation of electromagnetic radiation of ball lightning is the cyclic movement of electrons in closed orbits. The radiation power sharply increases when the uniform distribution of electrons along the orbit is violated. It had been proven that dashed traces that appear on photographic films during electrical discharges in water are created by the action of multiply charged clusters having the structure of ball lightning. These clusters can penetrate the skin into living organisms and remain in them for a long time. The biological effect of these clusters has not yet been studied, but there is evidence that they are hazardous to health (causing cancer and liver damage).