what are lightning rods used for in minecraft

Lightning rods in Minecraft are used to redirect lightning strikes to a specific spot within the rods range. When a lightning rod is placed, it will entice any lightning strikes in a small area to hit the rod instead of its original target. Lightning strikes that hit the rod will produce a redstone signal, which can be used to create interesting contraptions and effects. The area covered by the lightning rod is 32x4x32 in Minecraft Java Edition and 64x64x64 in Bedrock edition. Lightning rods can be placed on top of or on the sides of blocks, but it is recommended to mount them on a block that isn't flammable, such as stone, to prevent nearby flammable blocks from being ignited by a strike. Lightning rods can also be used to prevent the creation of charged creepers. The recipe for crafting a lightning rod is three copper ingots.