Get the latest tech news
Everything Hikers Know About Lightning Safety Is Wrong
Crouching on a sleeping pad won't help you, a cave isn't a safe place to wait out a storm, and metal doesn't attract lightning: Here's what you should know about lightning safety.
About a decade ago, when I first learned about risk management in my college outdoors club, I was taught that assuming the “lightning position” was the best way to protect yourself in a thunderstorm (spoiler alert: it does bugger-all). If you managed to avoid this particular tidbit of backcountry lore, allow me to provide a refresher: the lightning position involves crouching down on a sleeping pad with your heels touching, your chest pressed against your knees, and your hands clamped over your ears. But many, including the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), still recommend sitting on a sleeping pad as a way to help insulate your body from ground strikes (it doesn’t).
Or read this on Hacker News