Can skyscrapers withstand lightning?

The skyscraper acts like a Faraday cage: a metal enclosure that conducts electricity around the outside, protecting people and everything inside the building. These huge buildings have a large antenna at the top that attracts lightning without suffering any damage.



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The tower's steel exoskeleton acts as a giant Faraday cage that discharges the electricity around the outside. The rod at the top of the arrester can measure the intensity of the lightning strikes, while the arrester is powered by a tiny battery to isolate it from the central mains and possible surges.

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Another iconic skyscraper that's well known for its quake resilience is the 163-story Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The building is designed to withstand an earthquake of up to magnitude 7 and is able to do so through advanced structural support.

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Yes a Tsunami can surely wash away the Burj Khalifa, and all of Dubai's other skyscrapers as well as their phenomenal shopping malls and parks and resorts.

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No, it is not possible to parachute from the top of Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world, reaching a height of 828 meters (2,717 feet). Parachuting or base jumping from the top of the Burj Khalifa is strictly prohibited due to safety and security reasons.

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“The risk of lightning traveling through plumbing might be less with plastic pipes than with metal pipes,” the CDC says. “However, it is best to avoid any contact with plumbing and running water during a lightning storm to reduce your risk of being struck.”

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