It is believed that one lightning bolt can carry enough energy to light a 100W bulb for 3 months. Why do so many people get directly hit by lightning bolts and survive?
One argument can be, the electric shock period is really small (a fraction of a second) but on the other hand, if someone is hit by lightning bolt from a high tension wire for example, he is almost instantly killed.
That lightning is also for a very short period of time.
Best Answer
Not all shocks are created equal. Some "direct hits" are more direct than others. I'm just guessing here, but I would bet real money that if a lightning bolt hit within 4 feet of a person then it would be called a "direct hit". It is entirely possible that a lightning bolt that hits 4 feet away will cause injury, but not death. It is also possible that it will be fatal, even at 4 feet.
A big factor is WHERE the electrical energy flows, and how much energy. If you get struck directly in the leg (a real "direct hit") and that energy never flows through your brain or heart then you might survive. You could also have the energy flow through the skin of your torso but never reach your heart, and still survive.
But even if you have a "near miss", there is still a significant amount of energy that could pass through or on your body. The bolt itself can be quite wide, and not all of it is visible. The bolt can cause an electro-magnetic field that can induce electrical currents in things nearby (or very far away, in the case of lightning detectors). Once the bolt hits the ground, it can flow along the ground for some distance. And of course there are the non-electrical things like the blast of heat, light, and sound that could cause other issues. So even a "near miss" can cause damage and injury.