Lightning balls operate by generating a high voltage at their core, which creates a breakdown of the surrounding medium, possibly air, leading to visible discharges. The glass surface has a distributed resistance that allows multiple current paths to ignite simultaneously, resulting in dynamic visual effects. When a grounded person touches the ball, they provide a lower resistance path, causing most of the current to flow through them instead. This interaction limits the discharge to the area between the core and the person's hand. Overall, the phenomenon is characterized by fluctuating resistance and dynamic electrical paths.
