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It's one of the most awe-inspiring things in nature - a flash of powerful lightning, streaking across a dark sky!

But more often than not, it appears for just a few moments before it vanishes.

However, scientists at the World Meteorological Organization have recently discovered a lightning bolt that struck over South America that lasted for a record 17.102 seconds!

That's nearly twice as long as Usain Bolt's world record time for the 100 metre dash, 9.58 seconds.

The lightning struck on October 31, 2018 above Uruguay and north Paraguay.

It's been called a 'megaflash' by meteorologists - scientists who monitor the weather.

They were able to identify this megaflash by using satellites to follow the lightning patterns from above, rather than below.

But this is not the only megaflash they discovered in their research.

Typically lightning flashes travel a few miles across the sky as they strike.

But the meteorologists came across one particular bolt that travelled as far as 477 miles!

That means the lightning bolt travelled further than the length of England from North to South, and further than the distance between Aberdeen and Portsmouth!

This megaflash was recorded between the US states of Texas and Louisiana in on April 29 2020, beating the previous record by 37 miles.

The researchers at the World Meteorological Organization are hopeful that advances in technology will help them track more amazing lightning events in the future.

Randall Cerveny from the WMO commented, "It is likely that even greater extremes still exist, and that we are able to observe them as lightning technology improves."