# Lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise.

> Most likely: Lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/ball-lightning/answers/ANS0D40A8XA3AZP/lightning-vaporises-soil-silica-silicon-nanoparticle  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Ball lightning](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/ball-lightning)[What forms and powers ball lightning?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/ball-lightning/questions/QST0D40A5FY652V/what-forms-and-powers-ball-lightning)Answer

Answer · Ball lightning

# Lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise.

Lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise.

**Most likely** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Most likely** Its tests partly supported it: three pieces of evidence for, one against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Spectra show silicon and other soil elements.
- Balls form at ground strike points.
- Laboratory silicon vapour produces similar balls.

## What would rule it out

- A well-recorded ball with no soil-element lines, or forming far from any surface.

## Evidence 3 for · 1 against

[Arc discharges into silicon produce luminous balls lasting seconds.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/ball-lightning/evidence/EVD0D40A9CY4E98/arc-discharges-into-silicon-produce-luminous-balls-lasting)

Supported

FOR

[Microwave-heated silicates eject buoyant fireballs, which the authors relate to the silicon model.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/ball-lightning/evidence/EVD0D40A9MR60RV/microwave-heated-silicates-eject-buoyant-fireballs-which-the)

Suggestive

FOR

[The 2012 spectrum shows Si, Fe and Ca lines throughout the ball's life.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/ball-lightning/evidence/EVD0D40A9543S6J/the-2012-spectrum-shows-si-fe-and-ca-lines-throughout-the)

Supported

FOR

[Balls reported inside aircraft are hard to reconcile with a soil source.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/ball-lightning/evidence/EVD0D40A9WJ09GT/balls-reported-inside-aircraft-are-hard-to-reconcile-with-a)

Suggestive

AGAINST

## The questions it answers

[What forms and powers ball lightning?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/ball-lightning/questions/QST0D40A5FY652V/what-forms-and-powers-ball-lightning)

Most likelyLightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). Lightning vaporises soil silica; silicon nanoparticle networks glow as they slowly oxidise. [Answer ANS0D40A8XA3AZP]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D40A8XA3AZP
```

Key

**ANS** 0D40A8XA3AZP

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

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