Researchers have known for several decades that thunderstorms can act as miniature particle accelerators that produce antimatter, gamma rays and other nuclear phenomena. But they did not know how common the phenomenon was. In observations taken by a retrofitted U2 spy plane, they've discovered essentially all large thunderstorms produce gamma rays in many dynamic, unexpected and unknown ways.

Researchers have known for several decades that thunderstorms can act as miniature particle accelerators that produce antimatter, gamma rays and other nuclear phenomena. But they did not know how common the phenomenon was. In observations taken by a retrofitted U2 spy plane, they’ve discovered essentially all large thunderstorms produce gamma rays in many dynamic, unexpected and unknown ways.