What is Fulgurite?
{{Orphan|date=December 2010}} '''Fulgurites''' are a rare type of natural [[glass]] made when [[lightning]] hits [[silica]]-rich minerals that are commonly in [[sand]], [[soil]], and some [[Rock (geology)|rocks]]. ''Tubular fulgurites'' are found in places with a lot of silica, like beaches or deserts. Lightning makes a tubular fulgurite when a bolt goes through the sand and melts silica into a [[liquid]]. The liquid silica cools and hardens quickly, leaving behind a thin glassy tube, usually with a rough outer surface and a smooth inner surface. Underground, a fulgurite may be shaped like the roots of a tree, [[branch]]ing out with many arms that trace the zigzagging path of the lightning bolt. They are quite delicate, with walls no thicker than 1-2 mm. Some of the largest fulgurites are removed from the ground in many pieces and then glued back into their original shape. {{science-stub}} [[Category:Natural materials]] [[Category:Glass]]