XL 4.7" Fulgurite Petrified Lightning Strike Glass Sahara Desert Algeria
Location: Sahara Desert, Algeria
Weight: 0.5 Ounces
Dimensions: 4.7 Inches Long, 1.2 Inches Wide, 0.8 Inches Thick
The Item pictured is the one you will receive.
Fulgurite is a type of natural glass formed when lightning strikes sandy soil or sand dunes, creating a rare and fascinating geological phenomenon. The intense heat produced by a lightning bolt fuses sand grains, forming hollow tubes or branching structures known as fulgurites. Because they are created by lightning, fulgurites are often referred to as “petrified lightning” or “fossilized lightning.”
One of the notable regions where fulgurites are found is the Sahara Desert in Morocco. The desert’s vast stretches of sand and periodic thunderstorms provide ideal conditions for their formation. Fulgurites vary greatly in size and shape—from small, fragile tubes to larger, complex branching networks.
Composed primarily of silica (SiO₂), the same material that makes up sand, fulgurites form under extreme temperatures that can reach up to 30,000°C (54,000°F) during a lightning strike. This intense heat melts and fuses the sand almost instantaneously, preserving the textures and patterns of the original grains in the resulting glassy structures.
