Where does this come from, and can I check it?

A metal spike on a roof gives lightning a safe path to the ground. The figure is taken from Smithsonian Institution, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a science fact?

Yes. It sits on the Science shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Franklin invented the lightning rod

A metal spike on a roof gives lightning a safe path to the ground Benjamin Franklin argued in the 1750s that lightning was electrical and that a pointed conductor could protect a building. Rods were fitted to houses and churches in Europe and America soon afterward. His famous kite flight is often described as a direct strike, though a grounded version would have been extremely dangerous and the details remain uncertain. It sits in Mondo's science collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

Smithsonian Institution

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Tags: electricity, lightning, history

Franklin invented the lightning rod: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: A metal spike on a roof gives lightning a safe path to the ground. The figure is taken from Smithsonian Institution, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a science fact?: Yes. It sits on the Science shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.