Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. In October 2017, a single flash of lightning during a thunderstorm streaked across the Great Plains for 515 miles. The flash traveled from eastern Texas all the way to Kansas City--and now into the record books. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) certified that this megaflash is now the longest single lightning flash in the United States. The massive lightning bolt is detailed in a study published July 31 in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.

Disasters stemming from natural hazards are increasing in both frequency and intensity, reflecting the immediate reality of climate change and prompting a growing succession of humanitarian crises. Fortunately, new technologies can help detect and prepare for extreme weather and other hazards, as well as communicate to people and communities effectively about the necessary response. "We are all exposed to natural hazards, and this will worsen in the future," said Jürg Luterbacher, Director of Science and Innovation of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), at a recent AI for Good online seminar. "We need to act upon them accordingly." WMO has set out, along with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), to explore the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen disaster mitigation worldwide.