Photo shows sand art, not lightning strike formation

The declare: Photograph shows formation prompted by lightning strike

Some social media users are sharing a photo they assert shows a fulgurite – a glass composition that can be developed when lightning strikes sand or rock.

The photo demonstrates an elaborate sand composition on a seaside. The structure has about a dozen pointy spires and leans dramatically.

“When lightning hits a sandy beach, it creates otherworldly glass sculptures recognised as fulgurites or ‘petrified lightning,'” reads the caption of a July 13 Facebook submit that includes the photo.

The publish was shared 30,000 periods in a little far more than a week.

But the assert is erroneous. The image does not demonstrate a fulgurite. It reveals a sand sculpture produced by an artist.

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United states Today arrived at out to the Facebook consumers who shared the write-up for remark.

Photo displays sand artwork, not fulgurite

The sculpture was developed by Matthew Kaliner, who is also referred to as “Sandcastle Matt” in information tales about his creations.

In addition to being showcased in posts by publications these as The Atlantic and Colossal, Kaliner’s work can be witnessed on his Flickr account. The sculpture showcased in the social media article is labeled “red beach front #2.”

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Whilst fulgurites are authentic, photos of the formations reviewed by United states of america These days did not look like the sculpture in the social media submit.

Our score: False

Centered on our analysis, we price Untrue the declare that a picture exhibits a development brought about by a lightning strike. The image demonstrates an artist’s sand sculpture.

Our simple fact-check sources:

• Countrywide Park Service, March 27, 2017, Fulgurites: The Energy of Lightning

• Colossal, Could 6, 2014, Peculiar Abstract Sandcastles by ‘Sandcastle Matt’

• Matthew Kaliner via Flickr, accessed July 22, Sandcastles

• Matthew Kaliner by way of Flickr, Jan. 26, 2007, Purple seaside #2

• The Atlantic, Aug. 25, 2015, Radical Sandcastles

• WBUR, July 27, 2015, How To Establish Sandcastles The Sandcastle Matt Way

• My Modern day Met, Aug. 27, 2015, New and Otherworldly Forms of Sandcastles by Matthew Kaliner

• University of Florida Lightning Exploration Group, accessed July 22, Fulgurites

• Utah Geological Survey, accessed July 22, What are fulgurites and in which can they be located?

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This report initially appeared on Usa Right now: Fact verify: Photograph reveals sand art, not fulgurite