Astronaut snaps spectacular photo of lightning above Italy

NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers spotted the summer storm while aboard the International Space Station. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Lightning is one of Earth's most impressive phenomena. The sudden discharges of superheated plasma occur even in seemingly sunny conditions, rip apart air molecules, and can easily span hundreds of miles . But while there is still a lot to learn about lightning from our perspective here on Earth, there's also much to glean by observing it from high above.