Original article (in Serbian) was published on 15/8/2025; Author: Teodora Koledin
“Lie on the ground and turn off all devices!” writes Kurir in a news headline, relying on advice from physicist Goran Marjanović on protection against lightning strikes. And although that very headline raises the question: “What is myth and what is fact when it comes to lightning strikes?”, Tragač concludes that the author ultimately offers readers instructions that are closer to misconceptions than to scientifically supported information.
A lightning strike recently occurred at a football stadium in Loznica during a match. One player was slightly injured, while another required resuscitation and died a few days later. Using the lightning strike at the Loznica match as a pretext, Kurir contacted physicist Goran Marjanović, who is presented in the article as a “specialist in Tesla’s technologies and natural phenomena.” In one segment, the journalist states the following:
“He (Marjanović, author’s note) advises farmers caught in a storm in the fields to lie on the ground and throw away any metal tools to reduce the risk of being struck by lightning.”
However, relevant sources show that your chances of avoiding a lightning strike are actually better if you don’t do this – that is, if you don’t lie on the ground. Not only will such a move fail to protect you, but it can put you in even greater danger. As stated on the official website of the U.S. National Weather Service, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
“Lying flat on the ground increases your chance of being seriously injured or killed by potentially deadly ground current. If you are caught outside during a thunderstorm, keep moving toward a safe shelter.”
We also spoke about this topic with physicist Slobodan Bubnjević, who works on the popularisation of science. He also emphasizes that one should never lie on the ground during a thunderstorm.
“That is a completely wrong and dangerous piece of advice. This falls under basic safety culture, just like the advice not to shelter under a tall tree or near power line – something everyone spending time outdoors should know. The discharge ends in the ground, and a person lying flat is at great risk of being caught in the discharge channel.”
On the other hand, getting rid of “metal tools” during a thunderstorm is a justified recommendation, since metal is a good conductor. In this context, however, Bubnjević clarifies:
“If you have a metal object in your pocket, it has no effect on lightning, but if you hold a metal rod above yourself during a thunderstorm, you can certainly become a target.”
In the Kurir headline, it is also suggested that in the event of a lightning strike, one should “turn off all devices.” Although the article later specifies “refrigerators, freezers, and other motorized appliances,” it’s worth pointing out the widespread myth that mobile phones should be switched off during thunderstorms. Tragač has already written about this unfounded recommendation, and Bubnjević further explains:
“Phones use signals in the microwave part of the spectrum; they do not interact with the atmosphere, and it’s not clear at all where this misconception comes fromthat phones attract lightning.”
The news was republished in the same or similar form not only by Kurir, but also by the portals Republika, Pink, Mondo, and ATVBL.
Notes: The portal Mondo published a correction in line with professional standards (August 18, 2025). The portal Kurir published a correction in line with professional standards (August 26, 2025).
