diff --git a/static/animation.js b/static/animation.js
index d1b877c..219db29 100644
--- a/static/animation.js
+++ b/static/animation.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ let opacity   = null;      // Float32Array ROWS*COLS — current fade value [0,1
 let animFrame    = null;
 let lastStepTime  = 0;
 let lastFrameTime = 0;
+let initDateStr   = '';    // date string when animation was last initialized
 
 // ── Board helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -91,6 +92,36 @@ function loadFromCookie() {
     catch { return null; }
 }
 
+// ── Lightning strike ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function maybeLightningStrike() {
+    if (Math.random() >= 0.001) return;
+    const r = Math.floor(Math.random() * ROWS);
+    const c = Math.floor(Math.random() * COLS);
+    const s = 4 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 7); // 4–10 inclusive
+    for (let dr = 0; dr < s; dr++) {
+        for (let dc = 0; dc < s; dc++) {
+            board[idx((r + dr) % ROWS, (c + dc) % COLS)] = Math.random() < 0.5 ? 1 : 0;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+// ── Midnight rollover ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function todayStr() {
+    const d = new Date();
+    return `${d.getFullYear()}-${d.getMonth()}-${d.getDate()}`;
+}
+
+function checkDateRollover() {
+    if (todayStr() === initDateStr) return;
+    // New day — reinitialize with a fresh random board
+    initDateStr = todayStr();
+    board   = randomBoard();
+    opacity = new Float32Array(ROWS * COLS); // all zeros → cells fade in
+    saveToCookie();
+}
+
 // ── Setup ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 function measureCmPx() {
@@ -115,6 +146,7 @@ function setup() {
     resize();
     window.addEventListener('resize', resize);
 
+    initDateStr = todayStr();
     board   = loadFromCookie() || randomBoard();
     opacity = new Float32Array(ROWS * COLS);
     // Initialise opacity to match loaded state (no fade-in on first load)
@@ -123,6 +155,10 @@ function setup() {
     lastStepTime  = performance.now();
     lastFrameTime = performance.now();
     animFrame = requestAnimationFrame(frame);
+
+    document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', () => {
+        if (document.visibilityState === 'visible') checkDateRollover();
+    });
 }
 
 function resize() {
@@ -137,6 +173,8 @@ function frame(ts) {
     lastFrameTime = ts;
 
     if (ts - lastStepTime >= STEP_MS) {
+        checkDateRollover();
+        maybeLightningStrike();
         board = stepConway(board);
         lastStepTime = ts;
     }