Stunned locals have discovered a rare ‘lightning rock’ in a wheat field after a heavy thunderstorm.
The massive glassy boulder has been confirmed by experts as a fulgurite – fossilised lightning that forms when a powerful strike instantly melts the earth.
The strange root-like rock was found in the middle of the wheat field after a violent thunderstorm.
READ MORE: Locals stunned as fish rain from sky
- Advertisement -
Locals in Yi Li village in Hebei Province, China, were stunned by the rock’s sudden appearance.
Professor Ding Yi of Hebei Geo University Museum inspected the find on Tuesday (16 June).
He declared it a classic fulgurite, or “lightning melt rock”, created by a direct lightning strike.
The rock measures roughly 130cm long, 90cm high and 52cm wide, with a glassy yellow-green outer layer grading into black glass deeper inside.
Its Mohs hardness of 5-6 and increasingly porous core match the profile of lightning-fused material.
- Advertisement -
Professor Ding Yi stated: “The volume of the rock discovered this time is rare, and it has research value in multiple disciplines such as meteorology, physics, and geology.”
Villagers said that a lightning strike brought down a high-voltage power line, which was repaired within 10 minutes.
Some locals initially suspected the molten rock resulted from the fallen cable, but the professor’s assessment confirmed a natural lightning strike.
- Advertisement -
The landowner, Mr Liu, quickly arranged for an excavator to dig out the boulder and had it transported to his home, as reported by What’s The Jam.
Questions have arisen over ownership of the unusual specimen.
Fu Jian, a lawyer from Henan, said fulgurites are generally treated as ownerless movable property under current law, so the first person to take possession gains ownership.
Local officials have visited the site but declined to comment on its ownership status.
Fulgurites form when lightning instantly melts silica-rich soil or sand into glass-like tubes or masses, with temperatures exceeding 30,000°C.
They are fragile and large intact examples are uncommon.
The rock now sits safely with its finder while scientists continue to discuss its scientific importance.
Experts hope the specimen can be properly preserved for further study.
The storm took place on 12 June.
READ MORE: Party goers stunned as ‘UFO’ flies by window
