Lightning may be an important source of air-cleaning chemicals
A storm-chasing airplane caught thunderstorms producing extremely high concentrations of two important oxidants
![Lightning storm in Texas](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/042821_MT_lightning_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
Lightning storms, like this one in Texas in 2017, could produce lots of oxidants that are crucial for the atmosphere’s self-cleaning abilities.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images