Space Daily writes that the scientist, a teacher at University of South Florida, made the discovery after a storm which occurred in Florida, one of the most lightning-prone areas on our planet.

Geoscientist Matthew Pasek said that "we have never seen this material occur naturally on Earth - minerals similar to it can be found in meteorites and space, but we've never seen this exact material anywhere."

He then studied the phenomenon and published his findings in Nature, where he concluded that, indeed, high-energy driven events, such as lightning strikes, can generate unique chemical reactions with various materials. In his case was a rare material that sits between what we have on Earth and what's out there in space.

"When lightning strikes a tree, the ground typically explodes out and the surrounding grass dies, forming a scar and sending electric discharge through nearby rock, soil and sand, forming fulgurites, also known as 'fossilized lightning'", Pasek explained.

Photo source: USF

He and his team of researchers now aim to study the material and the process that generated it, however, he added that caution measures must be taken. This is because lightnings are very dangerous and if one was able to alter the chemical composition of a rock, it could have even more serious effects on our bodies.

Although the material can't currently be used for industrial purposes, unlike other phosphates, due to the fact that it occurs rarely and by accident, it could be classified as a new type of mineral that could bring more awareness to the scientific community.