SILVER LAKE, MI — A Lake Michigan enterprise has captured lightning in a bottle − properly nearly. The Mac Wooden’s Dune Journey workforce unearthed a fulgurite, or a chunk of fossilized lightning, whereas prepping its trails this spring.
Fulgurites are pure tubes of glass which might be fashioned when lightning strikes sand.
The Silver Lake Sand Dunes are one of many uncommon areas the place fulgurites are identified to be discovered and the household of Mac Wooden has change into native consultants on the scientific spectacles.
This month, because the household prepped their 7-mile path by the dunes, they got here throughout what they imagine is a section from the identical fulgurite present in 1997 by Pete Wooden, son of enterprise founder Mac Wooden.
Since then, the household has uncovered segments in 2005, 2019 and now 2025.
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Whereas prepping the paths for his or her season opener the Mac Wooden’s Dune Journey workforce discovered a fulgurite within the dunes. That is the fourth time the household has discovered fulgurites within the dunes relationship again to 1997. The piece discovered this spring was the most important by far measuring at 30 inches. (Images Courtesy of Mac Wooden’s Dune Rides)Images Courtesy of Mac Wooden’s Dune Rides
Similar to if you see a lightning bolt flash within the sky, the sand glass additionally branches off making finger-like designs.
The fulgurite’s jagged, distorted form mimics the trail of the lightning bolt because it disperses into the bottom, based on the Utah Geological Survey.
Fulgurites are very fragile and should be dealt with rigorously, mentioned Garrett Talmadge, supervisor of the dune rides and nice grandson of Mac Wooden. In April of 2022, Talmadge discovered parts of a fulgurite measuring over 5 toes.
This piece is the most important intact piece ever discovered by a Mac Wooden’s member of the family, measuring greater than two and a half toes.
In whole, this marks the entire fulgurite at over 25 toes in size discovered thus far, based on the Wooden household.
The household enterprise has one of many largest shows of fulgurites, together with one piece that’s 9 toes lengthy, based on the web site.
To see the fulgurite show, together with “dune scooters,” indicators and pictures chronicling the household’s 95-year legacy of dune buggy rides cease in to the enterprise at 629 N. 18th Ave, Mears.
Whereas prepping the paths for his or her season opener the Mac Wooden’s Dune Journey workforce discovered a fulgurite within the dunes. That is the fourth time the household has discovered fulgurites within the dunes relationship again to 1997. The piece discovered this spring was the most important by far measuring at 30 inches. (Images Courtesy of Mac Wooden’s Dune Rides)Images Courtesy of Mac Wooden’s Dune Rides
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