Final answer:
The main idea of the passage is encapsulated in the statement that contradicts the common belief that lightning never strikes the same place twice.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main idea of a passage is often captured in a key sentence that summarizes the central concept being communicated. In this case, the sentence that states the main idea is: "It is often said that Lightning never strikes twice in the same place, but this isn't true". This statement corrects a common misconception about lightning strikes, suggesting that contrary to popular belief, lightning can and does strike the same place more than once, as exemplified by the experiences of forest rangers who witness multiple lightning strikes to their lookout stations during thunderstorms.
Understanding the main idea is crucial as it provides the foundation for the rest of the text, which might elaborate on related details, examples, and explanations. For instance, the provided excerpts discuss various aspects of storms, from their description in literature to their calculation in physics. However, they revolve around the central idea about the behavior of lightning during storms, as indicated in the main idea sentence.