‘Drastic’ rise in high Arctic lightning has scientists worried

The region's air typically doesn't suit strikes - so they have become an important climate crisis indicator

The high Arctic saw a dramatic rise in lightning in 2021 in what could be one of the most spectacular manifestations of the climate crisis.

In a region where sightings were once rare, the Earth's northernmost region saw 7,278 lightning strikes in 2021 - nearly double as many as the previous nine years combined.