In June 1752 Ben Franklin conducted his famous “kite experiment.” He flew a kite amid lightning and thunder to prove that a storm’s bright flashes were electrical in nature. He did this by lofting a kite in a thunderstorm that had a metal key tied to the kite line. The idea sounds a bit dangerous and Ben, indeed, is usually shown out cavorting in a field as lightning cracks all around him. In reality, the wily Franklin wasn’t quite so willing to sacrifice himself for science. Rope was an important element in the experiment since the hemp control line not only held the kite aloft but also was part of Ben’s electrical sensing system.

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