How does crouching with your heels touching and hands on your head protect you from lightning?
In: 10
Crouching makes you a less prominent “terrain feature”, hopefully making other objects (poles, trees, whatever extends upwards from the ground) more likely to end up being a discharge path. Even better is doing so in a terrain depression, as long as it’s not at risk to be flooded. Keeping your feet together minimizes the step voltage you’re subject to when lightning strikes in the vicinity. When lightning strikes, potentially dangerous voltages build up as a result; the closer to the impact, the higher they are. Having the heels touch is just the cherry on top, offering whatever potential difference happens between your feet a shorter path, rather than going through your legs and groin. Hands on the head i don’t know…I could imagine it’s to offer a path through your arms if a discharge hits you on top, taking current away from your head and upper torso.
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