iPods and lightning

[Ck]

Can your iPod attract lightning?

Listen to an iPod during a storm and you may get more than electrifying tunes. A Canadian jogger suffered chest and neck burns, ruptured eardrums and a broken jaw when lightning travelled through his iPod wire.



Last summer, a Colorado teen ended up with similar injuries when lightning struck nearby as he was listening to his iPod while mowing the lawn.

Emergency physicians have reported treating other patients with burns from freak accidents while using personal electronic devices such as beepers, Walkman players and laptop computers outdoors during storms.

Contrary to some urban legends and media reports, electronic devices don’t attract lightning the way a tall tree or a lightning rod does. It’s going to hit where it’s going to hit, but once it contacts metal, the metal conducts the electricity. When lightning jumps from a nearby object to a person, it often flashes over the skin. But metal in electronic devices or metal jewelry or coins in a pocket can cause contact burns and exacerbate the damage.

A spokeswoman for Apple Inc, the maker of iPods, declined to comment. Packaging for iPods and some other music players do include warnings against using them in the rain.

[altyfc]

Ouch... nasty!

Are more and more people being struck by lightning nowadays because of iPods and other gadgets, I wonder...?

[Ck]

I don't know that answer to that one Alty but you know how they say lightening doesn't strike twice? Well, my mates brother has been struck by lightening three times. We all think it's quite funny!

[THE V0NZ]

I don't know that answer to that one Alty but you know how they say lightening doesn't strike twice? Well, my mates brother has been struck by lightening three times. We all think it's quite funny!

Well if he will wear that silly bloody hat, what do you expect?

Ck's mate's brother yesterday

[Ck]

haha He looks a right goon!

[Alpha]

What was he doing mowing the lawn during a thunderstorm anyway?

[sacback1]

It is amazing how many people you see wearing these. I would never have thought about it causing a problem. I had better send out an email in case freinds and family don't know this.