Fulgurite | Natural Lightning Impact Glass | 11.98 Grams | Sahara

Fulgurite, also known as “fossilized lightning”, are natural glass tubes or formations that are created by the heat of lightning strikes.  When a lightning bolt hits the ground it generates temperatures of up to 30,000 Kelvin (over 53,000°F), hotter than the surface of the sun. This intense heat melts the silica rich sand and fuses it almost instantly, forming hollow branching structures that solidify as they cool.  In the Sahara Desert where thunderstorms occasionally roll in across the desert, these cooled formations can be found beneath the sand. 

The fulgurites from the Sahara Desert are special because of their environment. The desert’s quartz rich sand is the perfect material for these glassy formations. Over time the wind blown sand often buries and preserves these delicate formations protecting them from erosion. Fulgurites are scientifically important because they trap the energy of the lightning and often preserve the composition of the atmosphere at the time of their creation. They are valuable to researchers studying geophysical processes and past climate conditions. And with their irregular shapes and glassy texture they are a sought after collectible for mineral enthusiasts and natural history museums.

Of note, since Fulgurite is created by an impact of lightning hitting the ground, it cannot be called impactite as it is not created by a meteoritic event.