In the 1990s, NASA satellites unexpectedly detected high-energy gamma radiation bursts from Earth, specifically from thunderstorms. Initially, the frequency of this phenomenon was unclear due to the satellites’ limitations. Scientists later used a retrofitted U2 spy plane to study storms, revealing that gamma radiation from thunderstorms is more common than previously thought. Thunderstorms generate gamma rays through electric fields created by charged particles, leading to nuclear reactions. This discovery suggests thunderstorms are more complex than imagined, with many mysteries still to be explored.