Do Mobile Phones Attract Lightning?

from the apparently-they-do-in-China dept

Mon, Jul 26th 2004 2:11am — Mike Masnick

China is warning people not to use mobile phones during thunderstorms after a report that fifteen people were injured when a mobile phone acted as a lightening rod. The story certainly has all the elements of an urban legend, so it seemed worthwhile to dig a bit deeper on this one. According to a hoax-busting site, this story has been making the rounds over email for quite some time, with no facts to support it. In fact, many sites recommend you use a mobile phone rather than a fixed line phone in a thunderstorm, since they're much safer. While the news article quotes a professor claiming that "the electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phones are quite good conductors of electricity," the hoax busting site quotes someone from Motorola saying: "No, lightning won't 'follow the radio waves' back to your phone.... I really doubt that 600 mW of omnidirectional RF can ionize anything, let alone make a more conductive path between the clouds and ground. It does make a nice urban legend, though." From the sound of all this, it sounds like the injuries in question from the article may simply be because the people struck by lightning were the tallest items around (they were standing on the Great Wall) and not because of the mobile phone someone was using.

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32 Comments

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dorpus, 26 Jul 2004 @ 12:21pm

What about green lightning from the sky?
What if someone points an illegal 15-milliwatt laser at an Olympic athlete to temporarily blind them? You can buy these things over the net. The power to blind entire crowds of people at the push of a button.

http://www.megalaser.com/20.htm
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jul 2004 @ 10:51am

Techdirt attracks dorpus
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Me again, 15 Jan 2007 @ 9:01pm

all lies
Myself and many like minded people have high powered laser pointers from sellers such as www.dragonlasers.com

We do not advocate the unsafe use of laser pointers. Laser pointers are no different from guns. It is the user who is dangerous, not the tool.
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luvlasers, 30 Jan 2007 @ 12:02am

lasers are awesome
As a long time owner of a Wicked Lasers from www.wickedlasers.com, I can tell you that there is no safe uses for these laser pointers. They are overpowered, and too dangerous to use in any setting outside a controlled Class A laboratory. My Wicked Laser is locked up with my service gun in my safe.
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Me again, 31 Jan 2007 @ 7:03pm

all lies
luvlasers,

What I can tell you is Wicked Lasers are not overpowered. From experience, because most of my customers from my website, dragonlasers.com do not own laser power meters, they don't know what they are getting.

Hell, we send out 50mW lasers when the customers pay for the 125mW lasers, and we almost never get a complaint, beat that Wicked!
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- poltergeist, 16 May 2007 @ 12:51am
  
  Re: all lies
  This is such an obvious attempt by to defame Dragonalasers. No one with an IQ higher than a retarded cockroache would publicly state they cheat customers.
  
  Every one else i know who have bought from Dragonlasers and myself have nothing but praise for them. Check any laser forum not owned by wickedlasers for proof to easily substantiate this claim.
  
  They clearly state on their website at www.dragonlasers.com they have an excellent return policy and if you have a problem, they even offer life support online.
  
  If you have a personal grudge with Dragonlasers
  I suggest you get a life and do something productive with your time.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Jack Mandeville, 31 Jul 2007 @ 7:12pm

Lightning and cell phones
There are new antenna designs that enable great quantities of energy to enter resonating antennas. While no conventional engineering theory applies, I,for one, will not be using my cell phone in a rain storm.
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William Daniel, 27 Oct 2007 @ 6:43pm

NASA's jack mandeville
Hello Jack,
are you my solar heat pump buddy who designed space systems at one time?
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- Jack Mandeville, 4 Jun 2008 @ 7:10pm
  
  Re: NASA's jack mandeville
  William Daniel: You got me. I'm in Nevada now. Let's chat.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Jade in Beijing, 9 Mar 2008 @ 12:49am

Better safe than sorry
There might be an unknown mechanism that creates the danger. I wouldnt want to personally test it! Jade Great Wall photos
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daniel, 9 Oct 2008 @ 8:46am

I bought a high power green laser pointer at with awesome cheap price.
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laser pointers, 12 Jul 2009 @ 8:17pm

i am using my mobile phone, even there is a lightning, thanks for this story
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chloeelvis (profile), 19 May 2010 @ 1:18am

astronomy laser pointer
you will find the special designed astronomy laser pointer on sale in cheap price.
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Alex Bony, 2 Jun 2010 @ 6:44pm

thanks for your good story. I have got a high power portable green laser, it's pretty cool!
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Alex Bony, 2 Jun 2010 @ 6:44pm

thanks for your good story. I have got a high power portable green laser, it's pretty cool!
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erickson, 29 Jun 2010 @ 12:08am

I have some wonderful experience of high power green laser pointer for sharing. They are pretty cool!
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lasersman, 23 Nov 2010 @ 7:39pm

lasersman
good!!! thanks for your sharing you will find the special designed astronomy laser on sale in cheap price.
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John of Laserpointerworld, 2 Dec 2010 @ 7:56pm

Fine day! It is really good to have a green laser pointer used at night. Visit our collection at a low price. Free shipping is also available.
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Laser Pointer, 11 Jul 2011 @ 2:30am

Lasers
That news is an old news I think. But then, There is no proof that the cause of the strike is on the signal of the phone that rings.
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Pozorrubians, 27 Jul 2011 @ 8:11pm

Pozorrubio
Now I know not to use cellphone during thunderstorm. Thanks for that!
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Roberto, 15 Oct 2012 @ 7:34pm

Green laser pointer
If you want a ture power laser for cheap I think there will be just one option. http://lazerer.com/
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Buffet!
"That's All Folks" !
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i am using my mobile phone, even there is a lightning, thanks for this story
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Technopop, 31 Aug 2017 @ 12:42pm

wifi frequency
lighting is in the same frequency range as wifi broadband, that phones are equipped with now.
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