A professor at the University of South Florida Phosphorous matter A new one was found that was formed by a lightning strike in the city of New Port Richey, Florida. This mineral, which can be called an incredible discovery, has been found in solid form for the first time and could belong to an entirely new group of materials.
Geologist Matthew Pask said in a statement:
“Until now, we have never seen this material naturally on Earth. “Similar minerals can be found in meteorites and space, but we have never seen such a material anywhere.”
The first people who found this substance made of lightning decided to sell it, assuming that it could be of great value. Pasek bought it to study the material in collaboration with Luca Bindi, professor of mineralogy and crystallography at the University of Florence, Italy.
Pasak has published the results related to the studies of this discovery in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. In his study, he explains how high-energy events like lightning can trigger different chemical reactions that can in turn lead to the creation of new matter.
He says in his study:
“When lightning strikes a tree, the ground usually explodes and the grass around it dies. Under these conditions, a fissure is formed and an electrical discharge is sent through the surrounding rock, soil, and sand, forming fulgurites, also known as “fossilized sparks.”
Another noteworthy point is that the researchers tried to recreate this material in the laboratory, but their efforts were unsuccessful. However, it can be argued that this material is likely to form very rapidly under certain conditions and, if heated too much, will turn into the mineral material found in meteorites.
Pasek and Bindi now plan to investigate the substance further to see if it can officially be called a mineral.
