Trivia: What activity was thought to repel lightning in the 18th century?
Ringing church bells
Playing instruments outside
Shouting at the sky
Putting mirrors outside
The correct answer is Ringing church bells
So why is this answer correct? : In the 1700s, people believed ringing church bells would actually repel lightning. Once a storm began, bell ringers would head to the towers and ring the bells — though we know now that being in a tall tower with a big metal object is not the best place to be during a lightning storm. People believed so strongly that the practice would work that many bells had “fulgura frango” inscribed on them, which means “I chase lightning.”