The Lightning exhibit, made for NCAR by the Exploratorium Museum,
allows visitors to experience "attracting lighting,"
really static electricity, by touching the glass tube.
Inside the tube, the "lightning" is caused by an electric current
that is sent through the gas inside the tube.
As the current energizes the atoms of the gas,
you can see the resulting trails of energy
as streaks of ionized air, called plasma.
When you place your hand (or paw) against the glass tube,
the hand’s warmth causes the current
in the tube to travel in that direction, toward the hand.
Very impressive!