Lightning during a recent thunderstorm in Norway killed a herd of 323 reindeer — 70 of them calves — making it one of the deadliest strikes ever. Hunters in a remote area discovered the bodies last Friday, according to the Norwegian News Agency. We usually hear about lightning striking people, but it does kill animals, too. Two scientists at an Australian research institute have found that everything from seal pups to wild turkeys to elephants and giraffes can be killed by lightning. Was this a freak accident, or is it common? And how does this happen? I spoke to John Jensenius, a lightning safety expert from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to learn about the science behind these deadly herd strikes. (This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.) Read more http://www.theverge.com/2016/8/29/12690402/lightning-strike-kills-norway-reindeer-death-why-science
