Photographs of “orbs” – small circular or globular lights – that are invisible to the naked eye at the time of the photography are ubiquitous on the internet. Very little scientific research has been conducted to explain the photographic phenomenon. Most of the discussion online asserts that orbs are spirits or some other energy life form. Is this true or is there a coherent, conventional explanation? In this episode, we survey the available literature and consider examples of orbs in photographs.
Three resources:
Luciano Pederzoli, “Photos of Globes (Orbs): An Analysis,” updated article from SSRN (Social Science Research Network), 12/01/2017
Gary E. Schwartz and Katherine Creath, “Anomalous Orbic ‘Spirit’ Photographs: A Conventional Optical Explanation,” Journal of Scientific Exploration 19:3 (2005): 343-358
Dave Wood, “The Orb Zone: Accounts of Experimentation into the Natural Causes of ‘Orbs’,” Journal for the Society of Psychical Research 76:1, no 906 (January 2012): 17-31