Laboratory Experiments
Scientists have long attempted to produce ball lightning in laboratory experiments. While some experiments have produced effects that are visually similar to reports of natural ball lightning, it has not yet been determined whether there is any relation.
Nikola Tesla was reportedly able to artificially produce 1.5" (3.8 cm) balls and conducted some demonstrations of his ability, but he was truly interested in higher voltages and powers, and remote transmission of power, so the balls he made were just a curiosity.
The International Committee on Ball Lightning holds regular symposia on the subject. A related group uses the generic name "Unconventional Plasmas". The next ISBL was tentative to be held in July 2012 in San Marcos, Texas, USA, but was cancelled due to a lack of submitted abstracts.
Read more about this topic: Ball Lightning
Famous quotes related to laboratory experiments:
“The best work of artists in any age is the work of innocence liberated by technical knowledge. The laboratory experiments that led to the theory of pure color equipped the impressionists to paint nature as if it had only just been created.”
—Nancy Hale (b. 1908)