For a long time, humans have been struck by the drama of lightning.

We've told all kinds of stories about what it is, where it comes from, and who controls it.

I mean, we've got Thor, the Norse Thunder God who channels electricity through his hammer,

and Indra, the ancient Hindu king of the gods with the spear of

lightning there's Zeus Greek lightning icon from Mount Olympus. And then in Boston, Massachusetts,

there's Janine Madrid.

I get recognized occasionally on the street.

Not often.

But yes, I've been Logan Airport one time going through security, the TSA agent was like,

I know you, why do I know you?

In her own words, Janine is an educator at the Boston Museum of Science.

But to that TSA agent and probably anyone who's witnessed her in action, she's kind of a real life lightning god. But her thunderbolt is this massive

machine called the Vandograph generator. Actually it's the largest of its kind in

the whole world. And for decades she and her team have

been using it to bring lightning to the people, electrifying the museum goers in a very much figurative way.

I'm Abby Peralt and this is Atlas Obscura, a daily celebration of the world's strange, incredible and wondrous places.

Today we're stepping inside of the theater of electricity.

We're going to talk to Janine about what this contraption even is

and what it's like to be the Zeus of Massachusetts.

But like a way more responsible Zeus.

That's after this. It's early December and I'm heading into the Museum of Science.

Do-do revolving door.

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