1 00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of iHeart Radio, Hey 2 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: brain Stuff, Lauren Vogel bomb here is it dangerous to 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: bathe in a thunderstorm? A bathtub would be a lot easier? Seriously, though, 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: it's long been rumored that taking a nice hot soak 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: in the tub or enjoying a shower is a dangerous 6 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: proposition when electricity is coursing through the sky. The basic 7 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: answer is yes, absolutely, it's better to put off bathing 8 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: until after the thunder stops rolling. But let's discuss why 9 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 1: this is even a question. There are a lot of 10 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: myths about lightning. Understandably, it's pretty mythic. Bolt of lightning 11 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: is hotter than the surface of the sun. It can 12 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:52,240 Speaker 1: reach some fifty degrees fahrenheit. But for example, a plane 13 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: getting hit by lightning isn't usually that bit of a deal. 14 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: Although pilots do try to avoid thunderstorms, planes are built 15 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: too safely conduct currents, and, contrary to the saying lightning 16 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: will strike the same place twice a many tall structures 17 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: are hit. Often. Even the old rubber tires on a 18 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: car will protect you from lightning strikes. Adage is false. 19 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: A car is safe because it has a metal roof 20 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: and sides to conduct the current to the ground. There 21 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: are a lot of common misconceptions about how lightning works 22 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:26,199 Speaker 1: and what it can affect, so it's not that weird 23 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: to think that the old don't shower during a storm 24 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: line is just another myth. But don't be mistaken about 25 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: this one. It really is dangerous to bathe during a thunderstorm, 26 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: and not just theoretically dangerous. Ten to twenty people a 27 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: year in the u s alone are injured while messing 28 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: around with household water during a storm, and that doesn't 29 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,279 Speaker 1: just mean sitting in the tub waiting for literal lightning 30 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: to strike. Doing the dishes, or even just using faucets 31 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 1: can be dangerous too. The reasons are grounded in the pipes. 32 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: A lot of pipes used in household plumbing are made 33 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: of metal, which attracts and conducts a bolt of electricity, 34 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: and the water itself, even if it doesn't contain conducive impurities, 35 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: which it probably does, will help conduct the electricity. So 36 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: cover yourself in the wet stuff, either in a shower, 37 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: bath or just using the faucet in general, and you 38 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 1: help that electric current jump right to you. But running 39 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: the taps or Bathing during a thunderstorm isn't the biggest 40 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: threat for health and welfare. Every year, around twenty people 41 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 1: in the US are killed due to lightning strikes and 42 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: hundreds more are injured, though most often when they're outside 43 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: and a flat, open area like a beach or a 44 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: golf course. Still, the National Weather Service does not take 45 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: this risk lightly. The agency advises that during a thunderstorm, 46 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: it's best to go inside and stay away from plumbing 47 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:53,799 Speaker 1: and faucets, an excellent excuse to skip during the dishes 48 00:02:53,880 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: during a dark and stormy night. Today's episode is based 49 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: on the article is it dangerous to bathe during a thunderstorm? 50 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: On how stuff works dot com, written by Kate Kirshner. 51 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,239 Speaker 1: Brain Stuff is production by Heart Radio in partnership with 52 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: how stuff works dot Com and is produced by Tyler Klang. 53 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: Four more podcasts from my heart Radio. Visit the i 54 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 55 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.