this post was submitted on 25 Apr 2025
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Mildly Interesting

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[–] Zip2@feddit.uk 18 points 4 hours ago

Poor creatures. That’s Norway to go.

[–] blazeknave@lemmy.world 5 points 4 hours ago

Damnit Thor

[–] qyron@sopuli.xyz 2 points 5 hours ago

Cernunnos descent failed.

[–] Crumbgrabber@lemm.ee 15 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

That's what they want you to think.

[–] protist@mander.xyz 25 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (1 children)

This Practical Engineering video explains the concepts behind how this happened

TLDR: The electricity is trying to flow through the Earth, but a reindeer is a better conductor, so it flows up into the nearest leg and down out the furthest leg. If they were standing on one foot they might've been ok

[–] jnod4@lemmy.ca 12 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Don't they have four legs? The day I see a reindeer sitting on one leg I'm getting glasses

[–] protist@mander.xyz 8 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Yes, a reindeer standing on one leg would be unusual, and it's the only way they could've survived this 😂

[–] turtlesareneat@discuss.online 1 points 1 hour ago

Also if it were hovering

[–] DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone 18 points 16 hours ago
[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 66 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

Electrocuted, basically:

“Lightning does not strike a point, it strikes an area,” said John Jensenius, a lightning safety specialist with the National Weather Service. “The physical flash you see strikes a point, but that lightning is radiating out as ground current and it’s very deadly.”

[–] AugustWest@lemm.ee 24 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

That's interesting. I have seen lightning split a tree and then follow wires into a house blowing out the wall all long the path of the wires. I have also seen it lift up decking when following underground wires.

But if lightning hits with no lightning rod and ground is equally everywhere I guess I could imagine this result.

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 21 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

and ground is equally everywhere

You make an interesting point; Lapland is known for being relatively flat, often stony and pretty much treeless. I'm sure that contributed to an increased radius.

[–] colourlessidea@sopuli.xyz 11 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

Small correction: this was in southwestern Norway; Lapland is in the far north of Finland.

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 7 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

Oh, sorry I just assumed Lapland when I saw reindeer.

Lapland - or Sápmi to be precise, but that's an even larger area - is in the North of Finland, Sweden and Norway.

[–] superkret@feddit.org 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

When you correct people, double-check that you're correct.
I spent several weeks in Lapland, and I was nowhere close to Finland at any point

[–] colourlessidea@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I did, and I suppose you did as well which would have shown you what I meant and the differences between the Lapland of Finland and the general Sápmi region which is not often referred to as Lapland any more.

[–] superkret@feddit.org 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)
[–] colourlessidea@sopuli.xyz 0 points 1 hour ago

I hope you put more effort and nuance into discussions you have elsewhere!

[–] virku@lemmy.world 4 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Lapland is in Finland. Hardangervidda is in Norway. It is flat as well though.

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 3 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

Oh, sorry I just assumed Lapland when I saw reindeer.

Lapland - or Sápmi to be precise, but that's an even larger area - is in the North of Finland, Sweden and Norway.

[–] Mac@mander.xyz 6 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Thank you, I didn't know that.

[–] knightly@pawb.social 14 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Part of the problem is that we have two feet. When lightning strikes the ground nearby, it creates a difference in electric potential between the foot that's closest to the impact point and the more distant one. If that potential is great enough, then an electric currect can jump through one's shoe, go up into the body then down the other leg and back to ground.

Laying down only increases the surface area in contact with the ground, so the best thing to do is get inside.

[–] killea@lemmy.world 8 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Can I just stand on one foot then?

[–] knightly@pawb.social 11 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Feet have non-zero surface area so there's still room for an electric potential between the near and far side of the foot. It'd be smaller so that isn't an entirely terrible idea, but it is by no means foolproof.

[–] kewko@sh.itjust.works 5 points 14 hours ago

I think as long as it doesn't pass through your heart,you'll be fine with some cooked flesh

[–] Venus_Ziegenfalle@feddit.org 34 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Imagine in prehistoric times you and your posse are stalking a herd of those when all of a sudden ZAP and they just lie there medium rare

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 27 points 19 hours ago

...along with you and your posse

[–] kandoh@reddthat.com 19 points 19 hours ago

That's what they get for never letting poor Rudolph join in any of their reindeer games

[–] ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 16 points 22 hours ago

Thor got drunk and decided he needed a steak

[–] lowleveldata@lemmy.world 13 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

What kind of ritual were they doing

[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 18 points 21 hours ago

The one that seals the elder Gods into a soul cage for 1000 years.

Sadly, the humans will never understand the necessity and impact of the caribou's sacrifice.

[–] Evotech@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago

They just be like that

[–] kugel7c@feddit.org 8 points 19 hours ago

Incidentally the plateau is a great hiking spot, it's obviously beautiful, not particularly overrun (compared to the Alps it's almost comically empty), there are reasonably many dnt huts - typically self service -, and free camping is explicitly allowed in Norway.

[–] rickyrigatoni@lemm.ee 3 points 19 hours ago