"Balls of Light"

[Pol]

Okay, what's up with this 'BOL' thing?
People talk like they're some big mysterious thing, some sign from whatever or something.
Have people already forgotten about Wills o' the Wisps?
I mean, mysterious light shows across the fields of England is nothing new.
So what's the big deal? Is there some difference I'm not noting?
Or is this just another jump by New Agers to try and make everything new and mysterious and Universal?

[Philosophia]

Balls of Light have been around since the beginning of time (most likely ;) ) and probably nobody knows what they are. Will o' Whisps is one explanation while there are other reasons as well.
Some links for you:
http://www.ghosts.org/ghostlights/ghostlights.html
http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa050399.htm
Also, read this:
Orbs -

Aka: spears, globules, balls of light, globes
Origin: First accounts dated back from Antiquity
Description: Translucent balls of light hovering above the ground most often traveling erratically through the air. Some pictures would reveal an inner substance and a spot (nucleus or brain) within the substance. A trail might indicate they were traveling at a fairly fast rate of speed at the time of the flash.
Time: nocturnal
Records: 100 000+
Location: Generally spotted outdoors and most particularly at cemeteries
Theory: The spirits of the deceased that remain on Earth, unknown form of energy, vessel of the Dryad faery. It is theorized that ghosts prefer the form of an Orb because it takes less energy than other apparitions.
Veracity factor: 3/10 - Most photographed orbs are created inadvertently by circumstances and weather conditions at the time of the flash.
Will o' the wisps -

Aka: Faery Lights, Hobbedy's Lantern, St. Elmo's Fire, Elf Fire, Jack-o-Lantern, Will-o'-the-Whisp,, Willowisps, Will-o'-Light, Bob-A-Longs, Night Whispers, Fire Faeries, Jenny Burnt-Tail, Hunky Punky, Teine Sith, Huckpoten, Irrbloss, Les Eclaireux, Candelas, Ruskaly, fox fire, ignis fatuus.
Origin: first accounts dated back from Antiquity. The faery lights are seen all over the world and each land has a different name for them.
Description: floating blue lights, glowing ball or tiny flickers of fire that travel through breezes and air currents sometimes even following their observer or mimicing his movements. Some believe the mysterious to be portents of bad luck or even death. Other explanations are that these are the lights of trooping faeries on their Rades, or that they are the wandering souls of discarnate humans.
Time: night
Records: 100 000+
Location: near marshes, meadows, and grassy hillocks, swamps and swampy areas, ships before storms.
Theory: ignited pockets of swamp gas that hover over swamps and swampy areas and glow blue. A similar phenomenon occurs on ships when the air is full of electricity.
Veracity factor: Researchers believe that many people have mistaken will o' the wisps for the ghostly lanterns of trains and/or their long-dead conductors. Often confused with orbs.
From here (http://www11.brinkster.com/code10v2/ghost/main/theories/classification.html).

More:
http://www.prairieghosts.com/orbs.html
http://www.ghouli.com/articles/general_para/understanding_orbs.htm

[Philosophia]

Sorry...Gremlins caused a double post :2G:

[Élistariel]

I don't know what they are, but I know they exist. I've seen them. Three to be exact.
They could be ball lightning. That's not unheard of.

[Pol]

Balls of Light have been around since the beginning of time (most likely ;) ) and probably nobody knows what they are. Will o' Whisps is one explanation while there are other reasons as well.
Some links for you:
http://www.ghosts.org/ghostlights/ghostlights.html
http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa050399.htm
Also, read this:


From here (http://www11.brinkster.com/code10v2/ghost/main/theories/classification.html).

More:
http://www.prairieghosts.com/orbs.html
http://www.ghouli.com/articles/general_para/understanding_orbs.htm

Thanks for all the linkage :D
Also, don't take me to mean they MUST be Will o' the Wisp simply, but that it seems like people are seeming to be shocked by something people have been seeing for thousands of years.

[SageofThyme]

I've seen what i'd think of as balls of lights and others I'd think of as more wil o the wisps type things

To me there are different - there is a very different energy to them

I think with everything in modern times the names are getting confused and mished mashed into meaning the same thing

[Cindlady2]

I had them in the house I was brought up in! I've seen them, my kids have seen them. Guests have seen them. Usually showed up in 3s sometimes 5s. The would 'dance' around the 2 up stairs bed rooms and disappear. They varied in size and color and came at different times of the year. Some years no one saw any, other years they would show up 2-3 times.

[Philosophia]

Thanks for all the linkage :D
Also, don't take me to mean they MUST be Will o' the Wisp simply, but that it seems like people are seeming to be shocked by something people have been seeing for thousands of years.

Oh no, I apologize if I came off that way. I've seen will o' wisps around here for a long time, especially near the abandoned ruins of old houses and hotels. I think that people are shocked nowadays because nobody is afraid to come out and state that they've seen anything paranormal. In the past, it was socially forbidden to talk about anything that might be considered paranormal for fear of being called crazy, delusional, or evil. While we still have a minority that think like that, many people have accepted that there are things in this world we just don't understand.