Planetary Lightning Reaches Nuclear Scale

Juno radiometer data and correlated Hubble/Juno imaging indicate individual lightning bolts on Jupiter can carry 10 trillion joules — hundreds to thousands of times Earth lightning and on the order of small atomic weapon yields. These storms, occurring across 3,000‑km systems and producing multiple flashes per second, imply gas‑giant weather systems can produce transient energy releases with major chemical and observational consequences. — Recognizing that weather on other planets can reach 'nuclear' energy scales reshapes priorities for planetary observation, astrobiology (prebiotic chemistry), and remote‑sensing approaches to exoplanet atmospheres.