While most of us still depend on our charging cords, the trend of wireless charging for portable devices is picking up, and a recent experiment by the University of Southampton hints at one possible direction, using an unexpected power source.
Using simulated lightning, the team working on this proof-of-concept experiment was able to successfully charge a mobile phone in just seconds.
Don't look for lightning charging stations anytime soon, as this project is more about jumpstarting new ideas and methods for charging devices than it is about producing a lightning-charged cellphone.
The experiment took place in a controlled laboratory, under the supervision of trained scientists, and isn't something that ought to be attempted by laymen. As they say, "Don't try this at home, folks."