AUSTIN (KXAN) — Many Central Texans were likely awakened by the loud thunder from storms rolling through overnight. But have you ever wondered why thunder can sound different? A crack versus a rumble?

All gases expand when the temperature increases, so when lightning superheats the air at just a fraction of a second, the air expands so rapidly that it compresses the air in front of it. Thunder is ...

Thunder isn’t just loud noise. Its pitch, rumble, and duration are shaped by the exact path lightning takes through the air.

Thunder is the sound made by lightning. The process of lightning zipping through the air causes a sudden heating of the air to a temperature estimated at 40 thousand degrees Fahrenheit. This causes an ...

For the first time, scientists have imaged thunder, visually capturing the sound waves created by artificially triggered lightning. By studying the acoustic power radiated from different portions of ...

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Have you ever wondered why thunder can have different sounds? A crack versus a rumble? Startlingly loud versus calmingly low? Let’s dive in … The basics: what is thunder? Electrical ...