Pictures of Eyjafjallajokull eruption

[matty-hodgson]

The process that creates the lightning is indeed exactly how PART of the laser printer process works - essentially creating a static charge by rubbing particles of stuff together

Why don't HP use that as a marketing technique?

"Come and buy our latest laser printer, there's a lightning storm inside!"

[Whiternoise]

Wow. They are amazing. Will any science dude here care to explain why there is red lightning pls?

The red is most likely just an atmospheric thing - much in the same way that the sun appears red as it passes through "more" atmosphere. The dust and gas attenuates the light and it probably ionises when the lightning goes through it. Generally lightning just goes through nitrogen, oxygen and the whatever other gases that make up the rest. With a volcanic eruption there's lots of sulphurous compounds, probably some methane and lots of other random gases - when these ionise as the bolt goes through presumably they give off light that's dependent on both the temperature of the bolt (pretty damn hot = white) and some of it is due to the gas absorbing swathes of the light spectrum. Think of neon lights, when you pass a current through it, it glows a colour that is dependent on the gas (this applies to noble gas tubes in general).

This is an educated guess rather than a stab at an actual answer, but I suspect these are the sorts of things that make up the colour.

This also has some info: http://www.enotes.com/science-fact-f...olor-lightning

And don't forget that sometimes it's just a case of people fudging the white balance!

[Kata]

Why don't HP use that as a marketing technique?

"Come and buy our latest laser printer, there's a lightning storm inside!"

Because many people are stupid, and would instantly assume that the printer would then electrocute them and burn down their house

[Mike Fishcake]

I thought a cat had sat on the keyboard!

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/volcano_name

;-)

[donkey17]

What idiot thought I know I will build a building right next to this massive rock on picture 18, are they waiting for a big chunk to fall off and kill everything below.