Besides humans, nature is clearly one of the most powerful forces on Earth and there's little that's more deadly in its arsenal than lightning.
This incredible video captures the moment a lightning strike completely obliterates a tree in Saratoga Springs, NY.
With the average lightning strike containing nearly 300 million volts, this video is a stark reminder of not only its power but also why a tree is the last place you should be heading during a violent thunderstorm.
Released by the US National Weather Service, the video shows the tree literally exploding as it crashes down on itself during a particularly powerful storm that hit the area a few days ago.
Posted on Facebook, the USNWS writes underneath the video: "When thunder roars, go indoors". We're inclined to agree.