The mystery of ‘ghost lanterns’ in South Carolina may finally be solved.
For years, glowing balls of light have been spotted along an old railway track in Summerville, South Carolina.
Locals believe the lights belong to a grieving ghost, said to be searching for her husband, who was decapitated in a train accident.
These eerie lights date back to the mid-20th century, along with nearby reports of slamming doors, footsteps and spooked animals.
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Well, one scientist has now put the supernatural theories to bed.
According to Susan Hough, a seismologist at the US Geological Survey (USGS), these 'ghost lights' are a phenomenon called earthquake lights (EQL).
Turns out, EQL have been reported all across the world. They're described as 'sheet lightning, balls of light, streamers, and steady glows,' which are visible around the time of an earthquake.
Scientists haven’t fully agreed on what causes earthquake lights, but one theory suggests they result from underground gases like methane or radon being ignited by static electricity or shifting rocks.
Hough agreed in her January research paper that this theory makes the most sense when it comes to the Summerville ghost lanterns.
She studied the first reports of the glowing lights in the 1950s and 1960s and found they coincided with three magnitude 3.5 to 4.4 earthquakes - all occurring just a few kilometres away.
And she believes even smaller, undetected quakes could be triggering the lights today.
The old railway tracks and nearby scrap metal could be acting as conductors, igniting the underground gases and creating the mysterious glowing orbs.
But why do the lights only appear on dark, misty nights?
Well, Hough said water droplets in the air might be trapping the gases, making them more visible when they ignite. So, this could be why people typically report seeing the ghost lights on foggy nights.
If earthquake activity is responsible for the lights, it could also explain other supernatural reports in the area, like the shaking cars, swinging doors and animals acting strangely.
Although her theory is unproven, scientists could monitor gas emissions in the areas where the lights are seen to check for underground activity.
Summerville also happens to be near the site of one of the most destructive earthquakes in US history.
The 1886 Charleston earthquake killed 60 people and caused an estimated $6 million in damage (roughly $186 million today).
While it might not be as thrilling as a ghostly legend, the scientific explanation still makes a pretty fascinating one.