Number 160 (Story #3), January 14, 1994 by Phillip F. Schewe and Ben Stein GAMMA-RAY FLASHES IN EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE have been observed by the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO), according to Neil Gehrels of NASA Goddard, who spoke at the AAS meeting. The GRO looks for gammas from across the sky out to the furthest corners of the universe; scientists had not expected to see them at our home planet, Gehrels said. He suggested that the flashes might be occurring over intense storms and may result from upward-going lightning.