Great Balls of Fire!!!!
A possible explanation for orbs
By: Sam Little
Once again I find myself writing about paranormal researches most controversial subject, the elusive orb. The "great orb debate" wages on strong as ever and seems to show no signs of wearing thin any time soon. In this article I want to expose you to a new possibility. I am going to give you yet another explanation for orbs. (please consider that this is not meant to be an explanation for all orbs but merely a few.)
I recentally purchased issue 14 of Mysteries magazine. I tend to buy this when ever I am out at the book store ad see a copy I do not already own. I was casually reading the issue in the comfort of my couch when I came across the section titled noteworthy. This section generally contains news headlines and stories in regards to the news. I quickly took note of a picture, that to me seemed to be an orb in motion. It had all the tell tale signs, the thickness and texture and the forward motion, but the article heading caught me off guard. "Ball Lightning Created in Lab". I was a bit shocked to learn that what I was looking at was not an orb at all but a marvel of modern science that very much resembled one. (pic enclosed) Not only did shock settle a little within me curiosity reared it's head and I had to learn more so I read on. I suppose before I get any further I need to go over a few small details about ball lightning. Ball lightning is still a touchy subject with science and it's practitioners. Despite many accounts some still;l refuse to view it as a legitimate phenomena ad look at it merely as hysterical illusion. Ball lightning is round and omits a bright light and moves in sporadic patterns in some instances. (very much like an orb) It may burn brightly for a few seconds or a couple of minutes and remains in motion for the duration of it's existence. Ball lightning is most common during strong intense thunderstorms and is very very rare. I myself who have family who experienced ball lightning and from what they told me it sounds amazing.
The most interesting and amazing work being done as far as ball lightning goes would have to be that of Eli Jerby and Vladimir Dikhtyar of Isreal. They work out of the University of Tel Aviv. Using a device that uses a 600 watt magnetron taken from a microwave oven and a powerful microwave beam thay were able to produce man made ball lightning. An amazing feat if I must say so. They would aim the beam through a pointed rod and into a solid object made of glass, silicon, and other materials. This created a molten spot in the solid object. When the beam was pulled away it drug some of the super heated material along with it. This created a column of fire that collapsed into a bright, jellyfish like fireball that floated and bounced across the ceiling of the metal enclosure.
Other work has been done as well and it has been proven that ball lightning can be generated in a variety of sizes and colors. Other work has shown that ball lightning leaves behind a feeling of exhaustion and a cold area within the air. This is in all honesty speculation as no real scientific work has proven the cold spot or exhaustion theories as of yet. Seeing as ball lightning acts and looks like orbs in motion, is it not safe to say some of the orbs we have seen captured on film and picture could be ball lightning? I would care to say thay are. Now you have another resource for the great orb debate, happy hunting.
