2 minutes pour comprendre le Big Bang Nous vous expliquons, en 2 minutes, ce qui s'est produit lors du Big Bang.
Environ 2000 orages s’abattent à chaque instant dans le monde, des orages qui produisent environ 5 millions d'éclairs par jour.
Les lourds nuages noirs à l’origine des orages et de la foudre sont chargés d’électricité négative alors que le sol, lui, est chargé d’électricité positive. Quand l'orage éclate, cette différence de polarité donne naissance aux éclairs et au tonnerre.
On le sait, la lumière voyage plus vite que le son, c’est pourquoi on voit l’éclair avant d’entendre le tonnerre. Plus le laps de temps entre l’éclair et le tonnerre est court, plus l’orage est près de nous.
La foudre est un phénomène naturel souvent effrayant à cause des dégâts qu’elle peut causer, mais qui donne souvent des images d'une beauté à couper le souffle. Voyez ces images de ce spectacle de la nature phénoménal.
Arizona, février 2008
Foudre Arizona 2008 Dramatic cloud-to-ground lightning strikes with silhouetted saguaro cacti on ridge in Sonoran Desert.
Eerie green glow produced by mercury vapor light reflected from clouds over the city behind the hill in foreground.
Tucson, Arizona, USA.
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Des éclairs éclatent dans le désert de Sonora, en Arizona, le 6 février 2008, soulignant de façon dramatique les silhouettes de cactus saguaro. L’irréelle couleur verte du ciel est produite par l’éclairage à vapeur de mercure reflété par les nuages au-dessus de la ville de Tucson, derrière la colline en arrière-plan.
Colorado, août 2008
Foudre Colorado 2008 DENVER, CO - AUGUST 26: A shot from Roger Hill's house of an amazing lightning storm on August 26, 2008 in Denver, Colorado. If your bored of beach holidays and looking for something different this summer then you may want to think about a trip to America's mid-west. Storm-chasing husband and wife team Roger and Caryn Hill take British tourists on the hunt of their lives following deadly and destructive tornados. Plowing their way through America's 'Tornado Alley' Roger and Caryn drive groups of up to 18 people at a time in three buses and charge up to £230 a day for a ten day tornado chase. Offering their adrenaline inducing 'Silver Lining Tours', Roger, 53 and Caryn, 50, estimate that they have taken almost 1500 people to observe raging tornado's in the American Mid-West since 2000. Taking their paying guests to within 1/4 of mile of some of the swirling 300 mph vertical wind funnels, the husband and wife team have documented awe inspiring incidents of turning twisters and powerful super-cell storms. (Photo by Roger Hill/Barcroft USA / Getty Images) (Roger Hill/Barcroft USA / Getty Images)
Une pluie d'éclairs s’abat sur la ville de Denver, au Colorado, le 26 août 2008.
Islande, avril 2010
Foudre Islande 2010 Lightning streaks across the sky as lava flows from a volcano in Eyjafjallajokul April 17, 2010. An Icelandic volcano that is spewing ash into the air and wreaking havoc on flights across Europe appeared to be easing up on Saturday but could continue to erupt for days or even months to come, officials said. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (ICELAND - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT IMAGES OF THE DAY) BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)
À la nuit tombée, des éclairs déchirent le ciel alors que le volcan Eyjafjallajoekull fait éruption, le 16 avril 2010, à Eyjafjallajökull, en Islande.
Texas, États-Unis, juin 2010
Foudre Texas 2010 WILLIAMSBURG, KS - JUNE 08: ***EXCLUSIVE*** Lightning strikes on June 08, 2010 in Williamsburg, Kansas. Bravely standing under an umbrella while a ferocious lightning storm rages, Shane Kirk photographs the unfolding drama. Captured in the act by his fellow storm chaser father Mike Kirk, 62, Shane had been snapping away for thirty minutes when he and his father photographed the same lighting strike simultaneously.The once in a lifetime photographic event occurred as the father-son team were storm chasing through 'tornado alley' in Kansas, Missouri in May of this year.Fourty one year old Shane had been in pursuit of the wild weather system since 4:00 pm that afternoon and the unique shots that his father managed to frame of him and the lightning left them both stunned."This has never happened before," said Shane. "That is my Dad being behind me shooting me shoot the storm. "Usually we're side by side."Then we can have same images. They still look different because each of us will have different settings, exposure times, and focal lengths." Standing out in a lightning storm with an umbrella is no problem for the famed storm chaser either. "I wondered if my umbrella would be turned inside-out! "It can be very difficult shooting in these conditions. Holding an umbrella to keep the camera and lens dry, the other hand holding the shutter release and making adjustments to get the right exposure. "At times I feel like a golfer. I need a caddy to hold the umbrella for me on storm chases!" (Photo by Shane Kirk / Barcroft Media / Getty Images) (Shane Kirk / Barcroft Media / Getty Images)
Des éclairs illuminent le ciel de Williamsburg, au Texas, le 8 juin 2010.
Foudre Japon 2011 Volcanic lightning or a dirty thunderstorm is seen above Shinmoedake peak as it erupts, between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, in this photo taken from Kirishima city and released by Minami-Nippon Shimbun January 28, 2011. Ash and rocks fell across a wide swathe of southern Japan straddling the prefectures of Miyazaki and Kagoshima on Thursday, as one of Mount Kirishima's many calderas erupted, prompting authorities to raise alert levels and call on for an evacuation of all residents within a 2 km (1.2 miles) radius of the volcano. REUTERS/Minami-Nippon Shimbun/Handout (JAPAN - Tags: DISASTER) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN (REUTERS/Minami-Nippon Shimbun)
Un orage fait rage au-dessus du mont Shinmoedake en éruption, près des préfectures de Miyazaki et Kagoshima, le 28 janvier 2011.
Islande, mai 2011
Foudre Islande 2011 GRIMSVOTN, ICELAND - MAY 22: *** EXCLUSIVE *** Lightning strikes in the GrÕmsvotn eruption seen from Sprengisandur 60km away from the eruption on May 22, 2011 in the central highlands of Iceland. These dramatic aerial pictures show ash spewing 12 miles into the air from the largest volcanic eruption in Iceland in 100 years. As soon as he heard the volcanic explosion photographer, Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson flew into the dark ash cloud. The Grimsvotn eruption started on Saturday and the brown ash cloud is expected to reach the UK this week. This latest eruption is ten times more powerful than the Eyjafjallajskull eruption but because the ash is not as fine it is hoped UKL air traffic will not be affected. (Photo by Orvar Atli Thorgeirsson / Barcro / Getty Images) (Orvar Atli Thorgeirsson / Barcro / Getty Images)
La foudre s’abat lors de l’éruption du volcan Gr’msvotn, dans les hauts plateaux de l’Islande, le 22 mai 2011. C’était la plus grosse éruption volcanique du pays à survenir en 100 ans.
Toronto, mai 2011
Foudre Toronto tour du CN 2011 Lightning strikes the CN Tower during a thunderstorm in Toronto May 29, 2011. REUTERS/Mark Blinch (CANADA - Tags: ENVIRONMENT IMAGES OF THE DAY) (REUTERS/Mark Blinch)
Un éclair frappe la tour du CN durant un orage à Toronto, le 29 mai 2011.
Chili, juin 2011
Foudre Chili 2011
Lightning flashes around the ash plume above the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano chain near Entrelagos June 5, 2011. The volcano in the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle chain, dormant for decades, erupted in south-central Chile on Saturday, belching ash over 6 miles (10 km) into the sky, as winds fanned it toward neighboring Argentina, and prompted the government to evacuate several thousand residents, authorities said. Picture taken June 5. REUTERS/Carlos Gutierrez (CHILE - Tags: ENVIRONMENT DISASTER) BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE (REUTERS/Carlos Gutierrez)
Des éclairs crépitent autour des cendres du volcan Puyehue-Cordon Caulle, près d'Entrelagos, au Chili, le 5 juin 2011. Le volcan dormait depuis des décennies et son éruption a amené l'évacuation de plusieurs milliers de personnes.
Serbie, juin 2011
Foudre Serbie 2011 Lightning strikes over buildings during a thunderstorm in Belgrade June 8, 2011. REUTERS/Marko Djurica (SERBIA - Tags: ENVIRONMENT) (REUTERS/Marko Djurica)
Une apothéose d'éclairs à Belgrade, en Serbie, le 8 juin 2011.
Las Vegas, Nevada, septembre 2011
Foudre Las Vegas 2011 Lightning strikes behind the Mandalay Bay (L) and the Luxor hotel casinos as a thunderstorm passes through Las Vegas, Nevada early in the morning of September 11, 2011. REUTERS/Steve Marcus (UNITED STATES - Tags: CITYSPACE ENVIRONMENT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) (STEVE MARCUS JPEGTOII2/MED/REUTERS/Steve Marcus)
Des éclairs traversent le ciel derrière les casinos de Mandalay Bay, à gauche, et de l'hôtel Luxor pendant un orage qui a frappé Las Vegas, dans le Nevada, le 11 septembre 2011.
Afrique du Sud, octobre 2011
La photo saisit cet instant rare, le 12 octobre 2011, où trois éclairs gigantesques se sont abattus en moins de 15 secondes sur le Voortrekker Monument, en périphérie de Prétoria, en Afrique du Sud.
Foudre Chine 2012 HAIKOU, CHINA - MAY 13: (CHINA OUT) A rainbow appears in the sky as lightning strikes during a rainstorm on May 13, 2012 in Haikou, China. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images) (ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)
Moment magique: un arc-en-ciel apparait dans le ciel au moment même où la foudre éclate au-dessus de Haikou, la capitale de la province insulaire chinoise de Hainan, en Chine, le 13 mai 2012.
La foudre frappe le Memorial Center de Potocari, près de Srebrenica, en Bosnie-Herzégovine, le 10 juillet 2012.
Rome, février 2013
Foudre Vatican Rome Italie 2013 VATICAN CITY - FEBRUARY 11: Lightning strikes St Peter's dome at the Vatican on February 11, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI announced today he will resign as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics on February 28 because his age prevented him from carrying out his duties -- an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church. (Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images) (FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images)
Un éclair frappe la coupole de la basilique de Saint-Pierre de Rome, au Vatican, le 11 février 2013. Le jour même, le pape Benoit XVI avait annoncé qu’il démissionnerait le 28 février, parce qu’il considérait que son âge l’empêchait de mener à bien ses fonctions, une première dans l’histoire de la papauté.
Angleterre, juillet 2013
Foudre Angleterre 2013 POOLE, ENGLAND - JULY 21: Lightning strikes over Poole Harbour during a thunderstorm on July 21, 2013 in Poole, England. The spell of hot weather was brought to an end last night on the South coast after a second week of heatwave conditions across the UK. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (Dan Kitwood/Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Un éclair illumine le port de Poole, en Angleterre, durant l’orage du 21 juillet 2013 qui a mis fin à deux semaines de chaleur extrême dans tout le Royaume-Uni.
Uruguay, janvier 2014
Foudre Montevideo Uruguay 2014 Lightning streaks over the port of Montevideo during a thunderstorm early on January 2, 2014. AFP PHOTO / MARIANA SUAREZ (Photo credit should read MARIANA SUAREZ/AFP/Getty Images) (AFP/MARIANA SUAREZ/AFP/Getty Images)
La foudre s’abat sur le port de Montevideo, la capitale de l’Uruguay, à l’aube du 2 janvier 2014.
Foudre Rio de Janeiro Brésil A lightning flashes over the statue of Christ the Redeemer on top of the Corcovado hill in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 16, 2014. AFP PHOTO / YASUYOSHI CHIBA (Photo credit should read YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/Getty Images) (YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/Getty Images)
Un éclair éclate au-dessus de la statue du Christ rédempteur, en haut du mont Corcovado à Rio de Janeiro, au Brésil, le 16 janvier 2014.
Turquie, juin 2014
Foudre Turquie 2014 ANKARA, TURKEY - JUNE 15: Lightnings brighten the sky over Ankara the Turkish capital on June 15, 2014. Following a waterspout by night, streaks of lightning flash on Ankara. (Photo by Firat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (Firat Yurdakul/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Des éclairs déchirent le ciel au-dessus de la ville d’Ankara, la capitale de la Turquie, dans la nuit du 15 juin 2014.
Chine, septembre 2014
Foudre Chine 2014 NANJING, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 28: (CHINA OUT) Lightning strikes over sky on September 28, 2014 in Nanjing, China. A thunderstorm hits Nanjing on Sunday. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images) (ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)
La foudre zèbre le ciel de Nankin, la capitale du sud de la Chine, le 28 septembre 2014.
