Scientists have recently used a bolt of lightning to charge a mobile phone in an attempt to utilise 
natural resources when electricity is in short supply.
Experts from the high voltage laboratory at the University of Southampton have managed to find a way of harnessing the energy in a bolt of lightning to perform every day electrical functions such as charge a mobile phone.
In collaboration with the mobile technology giant Nokia, who was recently sold to Microsoft for £4.6 billion, scientists have recreated a lightning bolt in their lab by passing 200,000 volts across a 30cm air gap.
Neil Palmer from the high voltage lab at the university commented that they “were amazed to see that the Nokia circuitry somehow stabilised the noisy signal, allowing the battery to be charged.”
The so-called ‘proof of concept’ experiment is a huge step towards understanding such a large, natural power such as a lightning bolt, and harnessing its energy as an electrical alternative.
The mobile industry has been at the forefront of technological development, but has struggled to preserve the battery life of their advanced and electrically-draining devices. Finding new ways to charge phones and to make battery life last as long as possible is a priority for many mobile makers.
Ben Wood from analyst firm CCS Insight claims that it comes as no surprise that Nokia are involved in such “a wacky idea”. The mobile technology company has always been dedicated to helping the environment, and are market-leaders when it comes to battery preservation.
The project is rumoured to be most helpful in areas that don’t have constant, reliable electricity. Experts claim that in remote areas outside the western world it could be helpful to have communal, public devices that charge phones.
