Q: I recently saw a story on a fishing boat taking video showing lightning striking the water in front of the boat. When lightning strikes water, how does it affect the fish? Maybe it affects the immediate area, but not the entire body of water?
—Chris Rice, Rex
A: A lightning strike likely would kill fish in the immediate vicinity if they're swimming near the surface, Don MacGorman, a physicist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), told USA Today in 2004. Joe Dwyer, a professor of Physics and Space Sciences at Florida Tech, told PBS.org in 2005: "Electrical currents like to flow over surfaces, so most of the current from the lightning flows over the surface of the water. Since fish usually swim below the surface, they should be fairly safe from the effects of lightning." Professor David Schultz told USA Today that lightning strikes "have killed or injured people on the surface more than 30 yards away."
Q: Fox News recently did a special on Charles Krauthammer. It mentioned he had a son named Daniel. No mention was made of Daniel’s whereabouts and what he is doing. Can you supply any information?
—Geraldine Dunne, Johns Creek
A: Daniel Krauthammer is a writer living in Los Angeles. He graduated from Harvard and has a Master of Science degree in financial economics from Oxford University, according to his LinkedIn account. He has had articles published in the National Review and New Republic. Charles Krauthammer, who has won a Pulitzer Prize for commentary, is a columnist and political commentator.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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