I remember hearing a lecture many years ago given by Seth Putterman, the researcher in this study. Unless I'm confusing him with another researcher, he claimed

I remember hearing a lecture many years ago given by Seth Putterman, the researcher in this study. Unless I'm confusing him with another researcher, he claimed in the lecture that the underlying mechanisms behind static electricity were not understood. I've asked other scientist now and then but have never found anyone else who would confirm that claim. The idea is that by rubbing a balloon on your head, you add energy of a fraction of an electron volt to each electron on average, yet you can generate potential difference of 1000s of volts, so how does the diffuse energy input get concentrated to the small fraction of electrons at the high potential. Someday I'd like to hear an expert explanation.