The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has officially validated a new world record for the longest single lightning strike. This lightning bolt, which occurred on October 22, 2017, in the Great Plains region of the United States, spanned 829 kilometers (approximately 515 miles) and lasted 7.39 seconds. The strike triggered at least 116 ground strikes along its path, which extended from Dallas, Texas, to Kansas City, Missouri. This megaflash surpasses all previous records for lightning length and duration. The WMO highlighted the record to remind the public of the dangers posed by lightning, which causes fatalities annually. The discovery of this lightning event, which was not immediately recognized, has rewritten the history of meteorological records and provides new insights into atmospheric phenomena underlying lightning strikes.