Lightning strikes sear clothing, scar skin, and deafen ears. A lot can happen in the three-thousandths of a second it takes for a lightning bolt to course through your body.

Firefighters in California are gaining more ground against relentless wildfires that were sparked by lightning, but the extensive scars on the land left behind can be seen from space.

The Science Behind Lightning Scars and Strikes While most people survive contact with lightning, few walk away without lasting effects, such as lightning scars or burns. Find out what happens when you ...

These scars tighten the skin, which might make it harder to move the affected part of your body. If the scar is deep, it may also affect the muscles and nerves underneath. Hypertrophic scars.

While the scars certainly look cool, Mother Nature also left behind another gift. “Turf tip of the day: Lightning can release nitrogen into the soil, which can actually be very good for the grass.