Debunked Myths

This comforting old saying suggests that once a location has been struck, it's somehow immune to future strikes. In reality, the physics of lightning work in exactly the opposite way. Lightning is a massive electrical discharge that seeks the path of least resistance to the ground. Tall, pointed, isolated objects naturally provide that ideal pathway.

The Empire State Building serves as the perfect counterexample, being struck an average of 25 times annually. Communication towers, lone trees in fields, and mountain peaks can be hit multiple times during a single thunderstorm. A previous strike simply confirms that a location is an excellent conductor and prime target for future discharges.

The myth likely originated from observations that after being struck, objects might be damaged—a tree split or a structure compromised—making them less likely to be the tallest point for the next strike. But for intact, prominent structures, the opposite is true. This misconception highlights our human tendency to impose narrative logic and a sense of fairness onto the completely indifferent and physical processes of nature.