Yes — that haunting photo is real. It shows brothers Michael (18) and Sean (12) McQuilken on Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park on August 20, 1975 — seconds before they were struck by lightning.Their hair wasn’t just messy. It was electrically charged by the storm. That’s one of the final warning signs before a strike. If your hair stands up in a storm, you don’t have minutes. You have seconds.
Key Facts (TL;DR)
- Hair standing up can mean the air is highly electrically charged — lightning may be imminent.
- Move immediately: get inside a substantial building or a hard-top car (not a shelter, tent, or tree).
- If you can’t reach shelter, minimize your contact with the ground and spread out from others.
- The McQuilken brothers were struck moments after the photo; both survived, Sean suffered severe burns.
Why Hair Standing Up Is a Lightning Emergency Signal
In intense thunderstorms, the electric field between cloud and ground can become so strong that it starts affecting objects at the surface — including your hair. When hair stands up, it can indicate that positive charge is building on the ground beneath a charged storm cloud.
In plain terms: the atmosphere is behaving like a loaded weapon. The “hair standing up” effect is the kind of warning people talk about after the fact — because when it happens, a lightning strike can follow almost immediately.
What Happened on Moro Rock in 1975
The photo shows brothers Michael (18) and Sean (12) McQuilken on Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park on August 20, 1975. Their hair is standing from intense electrical charge in the air. Moments later, lightning struck.
Sean was knocked unconscious and suffered third-degree burns. Michael was also struck but survived with fewer injuries. The image became one of the most important lightning-safety photographs ever taken — a real-world reminder that once you get the “hair warning,” the situation is already critical.
Sean later died by suicide in 1989. Michael still shares the story to warn people.
What To Do If Your Hair Stands Up in a Storm
- Stop what you’re doing and move now. Do not “finish the photo,” do not “wait it out.”
- Get into a substantial building (fully enclosed) or a hard-top metal vehicle with windows up.
- Avoid open ridges, isolated trees, metal fences, bodies of water, and exposed high points.
- If you cannot reach shelter: spread out from other people, and take a low, stable position that minimizes ground contact.
(Do not lie flat.) - After the storm: if someone is struck, call emergency services immediately and begin first aid/CPR if needed.
Today’s Strange Sounds Digest
Some days the world feels loud. Some days it feels charged — like the air before a lightning strike. Today’s digest runs the spectrum from political theater and collapsing systems to stranded giants and solar chaos.
In today’s edition
- Texas hands voter database to the Trump administration: the kind of move that instantly becomes “a coincidence.”
- Renee Good: remembered by loved ones as someone who acted with compassion and courage.
- Iran on the brink: reports of violence, internet shutdowns, and signs of severe instability.
- AI PCs flopping: people don’t want “smart” laptops that behave like surveillance appliances.
- 55 pilot whales stranded in New Zealand: Farewell Spit remains a tragic natural trap.
- Wildfires in Patagonia: evacuations and reports of at least one blaze started by arson.
- ISS emergency medical return: a rare medically driven return mission (Crew 11 noted for Jan 14).
- Solar halo over the Alps: a complex halo over Arosa, Switzerland — optics that look like a portal.
- Cannibal CME incoming: a CME merging with another, boosting impact; auroras possible Jan 10–11 at high latitudes.
- Volcanic lightning: a reminder that eruption plumes can turn into thunderstorms of ash and electricity.
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Lightning Safety FAQ
- Is hair standing up really a sign lightning is about to strike?
- It can be. Hair standing up may indicate a strong electric field nearby, which can happen right before a strike. Treat it as an emergency warning and move to proper shelter immediately.
- What’s the safest place during a lightning storm?
- A fully enclosed substantial building is best. A hard-top metal vehicle with windows up is also safer than being outside. Avoid trees, ridgelines, and open fields.
- What should I do if I can’t get inside?
- Move away from high points and isolated objects, spread out from others, and minimize ground contact without lying flat. Your goal is to reduce exposure and avoid being the tallest or most conductive target.
- Can you help someone who was struck by lightning?
- Yes. Call emergency services immediately. A lightning victim does not carry an electrical charge. Begin CPR/first aid if trained and safe to do so.
