Blog 6

This week, I read something very interesting about several mysterious things that had always been presented to me in a way that made me believe something supernatural or paranormal was going on. But..here they are... 3 modern mysteries easily explained by science...

1) Corpse Lights.
                           Corpse Lights often appear in marshy or swampy areas as small, glowing balls of fire. The people who try to get close, possibly due to too much alcohol in their system, find out that the little balls of fire go away from them, no matter how hard they try. Also, some people who have managed to get up close and personal to them say that they are cool to the touch. These are often attributed to ghosts, or wandering spirits that like to roam around causing mischief in the physical world. However, there is a much more reasonable scientific explanation.
                           The science behind marsh lights is basically marsh gas. AKA methane. In marshes and swamps, where there is a large amount of decomposing organic matter, methane is let off as a by product of decomposition, as well as the element phosophine. And since phosophine ignites on contact with air, it takes a quite small amount to set off the highly flammable methane in the surrounding area.

2) Cattle Mutilation
                      For many years, random cows having been turning up extremely mutilated and extremely dead at strange times and places. Theories such as aliens, demons, and Satan worshippers have abounded, fueled especially by the prime days of "The X-Files". However, the scientific explanation is quite simple and quite accurate.
                     The appearance of almost surgical cuts can be attributed to the bloating of the animal after it dies. After it dies, it swells up and sometimes bursts, causing the surgical appearing cuts. The blood and internal organs are eaten by maggots, which gives the cow a disconcerting look to them.

3) The Nazca Lines
                      The Nazca Lines are lines drawn in Nazca, Peru, and seem to be created by someone who can see far from above, possibly by flying, which no one at that time was able to do. People say that it could have to do with aliens, wizards, or gods telling the creators of the lines what to do.

                        Spikes dated from that time period show that properly placed spikes can account for the straight lines.