World’s longest lightning flash recorded, an astonishing bolt that spanned 477 miles

Shutterstock 713128288 scaled jpg

‘The World Meteorological Organization has certified that two lightning flashes that occurred in 2020 have broken historical records in length and duration. A lightning bolt in April 2020 spanned 477 miles across the southern United States. Two months later, a flash across the Uruguay-Argentina border lasted an incredible 17 seconds. Neither lightning bolt hit the ground….’

— via Boing Boing

Small-minded ban on Maus backfires: sales are better than ever, and students can get a copy for free

Maus 2 jpg

‘A week before the school board in McMinn County, Tennessee banned the Pulitzer-prize winning graphic novel – which has been used to teach many 8th–12th graders across America the atrocities of the Holocaust – none of the Maus stories were in the top 1000 books on Amazon, according to Slate. As of this morning, however, The Complete Maus is #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list, while Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale is #3….’

— via Boing Boing