Static electricity is a big mystery — a jolt of fresh research could help to solve it By Jenna Ahart

Static electricity is a big mystery — a jolt of fresh research could help to solve it The familiar phenomenon has puzzled researchers for centuries, but experiments are finally making sense of its unruly behaviours. By Jenna Ahart https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00837-w?utm_source=Live+Audience&utm_campaign=d133f27161-nature-briefing-daily-20260319&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-33f35e09ea-50432164 Static electricity is so commonplace that it can come across as simple. Rub a balloon against your head, and the transfer of charges will make your hair stand on end. Shuffle your feet on a carpet, and the charge imbalance you produce can shock an innocent passer-by.