Its odd the the old misconception of lightning as a simple electrostatic discharge still reigns. Electrical breakdown in air happens around 3 MV/meter. The pote

Its odd the the old misconception of lightning as a simple electrostatic discharge still reigns. Electrical breakdown in air happens around 3 MV/meter. The potentials generated in clouds are very large but not remotely close to what would be required to reach the ground. Moreover, slow motion footage that can be found anywhere clearly shows branching tendrils descending very slowly, followed by the rapid return stroke after the line of plasma reaches the ground. I have heard that part of the mechanism that ionizes air and propagates the tendrils involves production of high intensity x-rays. I wonder if this could have health effects in itself.