Sticking a metal rod into the beach just before a lightning storm doesn't sound like a very good idea, yet many daring artists around the world watch the skies and seek out the shores to do just that.

 They don't do it to tempt fate; they do in the hopes of getting lucky enough to create a special type of natural glass called fulgurite. Fulgurite, more commonly known as lightning glass, is formed when a lightning bolt hits sand or rock. The surface of the sand or rock is melted and fused by the heat of the lightning, creating glass-like tubes and other unusual formations that are often prized by art collectors.

Professional lightning glass artists take care to perform their craft in authorized areas only, obtaining any necessary permits beforehand. They don't wait too long to place the lightning rods—they want to get them in before an impending lightning storm, but well before there is any present storm danger. The rods are placed vertically, the bottom portion buried about a foot to a foot and a half down in the sand. The artist then leaves the area, perhaps watching from a safe and sheltered distance. Once the storm has fully passed and there is no longer any threat of lightning, the artist checks the rods for results. With luck, there will be fulgurite surrounding the place where the rod is inserted. It's allowed to cool fully hefore the artist carefully removes it, with gloved hands and plastic or wooden tools.

Any loose sand is carefully washed off, and the piece is rubbed and polished with a clean, dry cloth. I don't recommend trying to make it yourself, but if you're a fan of beach glass or art glass, lightning glass is a definitely a phenomenon worth checking out. Seek out coastal artists and art galleries, and see for yourself the intriguing beauty of glass created by the power of nature itself!