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Mysterious “ghost lights” have been seen in Summerville, South Carolina, for years. Now, a researcher thinks she's figured out what these floating lights are: They may be linked to subtle earthquakes.
According to local lore, the mysterious glowing balls that often appear near old railway tracks are believed to be lanterns carried by the ghost of a woman who lost her husband in a train accident.
It is not known when exactly the floating orbs were first seen in the area, but the earliest reports date back to the mid-20th century. The lights are described as small glowing spheres, often blue or green, hovering above a narrow section of the Ship Island Road that once housed an old railroad line. Witnesses have also reported violent shaking of cars, strange whispers, and sometimes “ghostly” visions.
Residents describe slamming doors, footsteps, restless animals and birds, and objects that seem to move on their own.
Susan Hough, a seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), carefully analyzed these reports and concluded that the mysterious balls could be explained by a rare geological phenomenon known as seismic lights.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, seismic lights are glowing spheres, sparks, and discharges that are believed to appear in a particular area before, during, or immediately after earthquakes.
“They have never been systematically studied or confirmed, as virtually all data/observations are anecdotal, but flashes during earthquakes have been reported for many years,” Hough wrote in an email to Live Science.
One of the most common explanations for this phenomenon is the ignition of underground gases such as methane and radon that are released to the surface during periods of intense seismic activity. All that is needed is a spark caused by static electricity or moving rocks.
Hough noted that this explanation is particularly relevant to the Summerville hauntings. Her findings were published Jan. 22 in the journal Seismological Research Letters.
Could Summerville's ghost lights be caused by earthquakes?
In August 1959, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake was recorded 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) from the stretch of road where most of the Summerville sightings occurred. By late 1960, two smaller quakes had also been recorded in the same area, Hough said.
It is possible that weaker earthquakes have occurred since then, but they were not noticed.
Seismic activity could also explain many of the other “paranormal” phenomena reported in the area, Hough writes. For example, shaking cars, swinging doors, and moving objects could be related to small earthquakes. Birds and animals could also be startled by any movement, even minor ones.
As for the spark, Hough explained that steel rails and scrap piles are often found at the sites of old railroad tracks, which can create sparks when shaken. Hough added that this could explain why ghost lights like these are often seen near abandoned railroad lines.
While the hypothesis remains speculative, Hough believes it could be tested by measuring gas emissions from underground in areas where ghosts are seen. Sensors could also probe active faults in the region.
If confirmed, these observations could help seismologists better understand America's geology. “Studying earthquakes in central and eastern North America has been challenging because we have so little data to analyze earthquakes and active faults,” Hough said. “That may be the most interesting implication of my little study: friendly ghosts
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