They say lightning never strikes twice in the same spot, and even that were true it’s only going to keep you safe if you knew where lightning actually hit. A better way of playing it safe when you’re outdoors on the golf course and caught in a sudden thunderstorm is to know when lightning is heading your way. Nokia has proposed a warning system that could alert you to take cover.

Lightning it seems is an electric current that emits radio waves, and each bolt produces a frequency that registers somewhere between 10 hertz and 5 gigahertz, so phone receivers such as Bluetooth, FM, tri-band, GSM, Wi-Fi and RFID could be used to pick up on these signals. Nokia has already filed a patent for such a warning system, which could help ensure that you’re not on the back nine when a lightning storm arrives.

Cellphones could warn of imminent lightning strike [via NewScientist.com]