Don Melrose, also at Sydney, points out that the gas in the middle of the galaxy might already be so strongly ionised, and thus such a good electrical conductor, that current would leak away rather than build up into a concentration like the Snake.

ECONOMIST: Here be serpents

In MS the damage to myelin exposes channels on the surface of the axon, allowing potassium ions to leak out and thus dissipate the electrical current that carries nerve signals.

FORBES: Two Steps Forward

Energy can leak through gaps around doors, around electrical sockets, appliances, sinks, even lighting.

FORBES: Where SolarCity's CEO Failed In Energy Efficiency