a sceptical man: orbs

emu-addict

i dont want to get into any argument over this: i've heard a lot about the phenomenon of orbs and i cant understand why people really think there is so much to it. the way it goes is you take a picture, when it develops there appears "orbs" in it, making people think these things must have been flying around the room. but if they really was, wouldnt we have see them?! for this reason i cant help thinking these people are being a bit silly. maybe you think different, its your choice, but can someone explain to me why so many people think there is something to it.

Kernel

Well, I suppose so many people think there is something to the orb phenomenon because so many hundreds/thousands of people have seen, photographed and videoed them. When you have a weight of evidence behind something, then more people will think there is something to it.

Fysh

I suppose another question to ask is - have orbs ever been detected or experimented on other than by photographic means? As in, there's quite a lot of photographic evidence for them. The skeptic's answer is that they originate in lens flaws etc in the actual equipment used to take the picture.

Have there been many investigations into them using other means?

Zillah

Fysh wrote:

I suppose another question to ask is - have orbs ever been detected or experimented on other than by photographic means? As in, there's quite a lot of photographic evidence for them. The skeptic's answer is that they originate in lens flaws etc in the actual equipment used to take the picture.

Have there been many investigations into them using other means?

I can't back this up with links (I probably could Im just lazy) but it seems to be the general concensus that "genuine" orbs have no apparent explanation.

magnumlady

I'm also sceptical especially when I see the amount on Most Haunted. Although I have seen orbs twice in my home, with the naked eye, not on film. Its strange, or maybe I just have soemthing wrong with my liver ;-)

Fysh

Zillah wrote:

I can't back this up with links (I probably could Im just lazy) but it seems to be the general concensus that "genuine" orbs have no apparent explanation.

ummmm...

Zillah, in another thread wrote:

A great number of orbs such as those the most haunted crew get excited about are simply airborne bits of dust. The cameras emit a small amount of light, but are also night vision cameras, so the dust is lit up and seems to glow.

In light of the second quote there, I'd like to know more about what "genuine orbs" are and how they are distinguished from ones explained as dust or what have you. Are there any methods other than photography used to detect them?

(BTW I don't mean to be a smart-ass here, I'd just seen your post in the other thread about orbs and was kind of surprised at your answer in this thread.)

Saruman

Well as far as im concerned any Digital camera pic taken with a flash is suspect. As per a previous post of mine where i did an experiment. Took 2 pics of the same place. Outside where there was no dust.. First one no orbs.. second one after throwing dust in the air there were orbs everywhere.

SkepticOne

Saruman wrote:

Well as far as im concerned any Digital camera pic taken with a flash is suspect. As per a previous post of mine where i did an experiment. Took 2 pics of the same place. Outside where there was no dust.. First one no orbs.. second one after throwing dust in the air there were orbs everywhere.

I think the problem is that modern compact cameras have flashes very close to the lens. This allows dust particles very close (and therefore out of focus) to the camera to be illuminated. These out of focus illuminated dust particles will show up as disks on the image.

This explanation does not work for genuine paranormal orbs which, by definition, have no rational explanation.

Zillah

Fysh wrote:

In light of the second quote there, I'd like to know more about what "genuine orbs" are and how they are distinguished from ones explained as dust or what have you. Are there any methods other than photography used to detect them?

Ummmm...

How do you differentiate between genuine orbs and those explained as dust particles......? Well, the genuine ones aren't explained as dust particles for one....