Winfried Otto Schumann

Winfried Otto Schumann was a German physicist known for discovering what are now called "Schumann resonances"—natural electromagnetic waves that occur in the Earth's atmosphere. These resonances result from lightning strikes creating a global electromagnetic cavity between the Earth's surface and the ionosphere, causing the Earth to "resonate" at specific extremely low frequencies. This phenomenon helps scientists study Earth's electrical environment, monitor lightning activity worldwide, and understand how electromagnetic signals can propagate around the planet. Schumann's work has important implications in geophysics, atmospheric science, and even navigation technologies.