Huge 2.5 Million Volt Captured Lightning Sculpture Being Discharged

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This massive 15 x 20 x 2 inch sculpture was created during our Fall 2013 Lichtenberg Run. The interior of the specimen was charged up to 2.5 million volts by first passing it through a 5 million electron volt (MeV) electron beam, CAREFULLY flipping over the charged specimen, and then passing it through the beam once again. The accelerator injected trillions of excess electrons into the acrylic, creating two invisible layers of intense electrical charge. Each charge layer was located about one-half inch below the large flat surfaces. When fully charged, the potential on each of the charge layers was about negative 2.5 million volts relative to the outer surfaces of the specimen (which were at approximately ground potential).

The lower charge layer was then manually discharged by lightly poking the surface of the acrylic with a grounded metal point. This created a small crack inside the acrylic that allowed almost of the trapped charge to rush out of the specimen with a brilliant flash and a loud BANG that lasted less than 500 billionths of a second! Because of the large amount of electrical energy stored in the internal electrical field, charged specimens of this size are treated with utmost respect. After the main lightning-like discharge, hundreds of secondary discharges flash inside the specimen as small pockets of residual charge flash to the newly-created discharge paths. The frequency of secondary discharges slowly decrease over several minutes, but some discharges have been observed over 30 minutes after the main discharge.

This beautiful specimen is now on permanent display at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry's "Numbers in Nature" exhibit as an example of a branching fractal:

This video was captured by fellow "Spark Whisperers" Heidi Baumgartner and Todd Johnson on 11/15/13.

For more information about Captured Lightning sculptures (Lichtenberg Figures) and more information about their history and the underlying physics, please see our other videos or visit our web site:

[axelnatale]

am i the only person who thinks it could make a sick table?

[donnieramsey]

That's amazing how long the electricity stays active long after the initial contact. Love the vid. Thanks

[xCrazyGuyNL]

Please take this to TheSlomoGuys. Wanna see it in slowmotion, would be interesting

[alittlebitoffilming]

But has it enough power to get back to 1985!?

[chr.sdavid]

Those lights that are popping out or something reminds me of goku when hes on super sayain 2.

[jonathanwhite]

If you put an LED light under it it could be a sweet fish tank wall or glass door

[ntdtv]

Hi Bert,

Vladimir here with NTD Television. Our team was very impressed by your videos and our editors would like to showcase them by uploading and crediting you on some of our social media pages and websites so that our fans can see it. We are one of the world's fastest growing media companies with over 100 million fans and 1 billion monthly video views across all of our social properties. Our motto is truth, hope, and humanity. Can I send you more information in my next message / email?

Thank you!
Warm regards

[Call_Me_David]

Late to the Convo, sorry.

Even though you might not be able to capture the main bolt, I'm sure there's still other stuff happening immediately after the shock that might be captured by the 100k+fps camera they've used. I'm sure everyone here has already seen their latest video with the combustion tube and the blue flame that they would never have seen without the high speed. They went into it just wanting to see the iMac get "eviscerated, " but ended up being more impressed by the blue flame they weren't even looking for. So I say you should still see if The Slow Mo Guys or someone else with the same 100k+fps would be willing to film this.

[TCGView]

We need to get the Slo Mo Guys in on this!

[xdragonk]

So... what happened if you touch that sculpture after that first discharge?

[gladitsnotme]

We are all electric beings... trees, rivers, all have the same shape. Leaves, humans, animals, all have the same veining. Wow. Just... wow. God is beautiful.

[TheElmatoc]

Thats what i see when i go outside without sunglasses...

[wkmphoto]

Disappointed that I did not see the image that’s on the click photo. How was that done? Is it a result of a time lapse?

[chrischilders]

hello Mr. Hickman i was wondering if you made the device to make lichenberg figure or bought it? the wiring diagram parts where to buy it? i assume that if you did build it you are using a pole pig that is being used to up the voltage than to reduce it wiring it through the secondary i have built tesla coils but would love to know the ends and outs on how to make such beautiful figures ty

[Jomoko]

So I'm guessing you sell these, mind telling me where to buy them?

[pay]

This is how the face of the earth was made, made by the ancient miners before the reset of 1800

[paraya]

+Bert Hickman What is that tool you're using to inject the electricity? particle accelerator? linear accelerator? taser? all of the above?

[diogosouza]

So, does it have to be plugged into a socket for the effect to keep going, or is this a never ending cycle? Does the cycle break if you get certain materials close to it, or if you touch it?

[YEE]

wow no wonder john b goodenough used glass as the bassis of his new battery

[troi-.-]

This is what it looks like when Thor smashed his hammer into the ground