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Orbs on
stills cameras and camcorders were
not identified and called 'orbs'
until the mid-1990s.
What we
today know as orbs did exist before
this time but were so rare that they
did not excite interest in the
paranormal research community.
Photographic evidence of orbs has
been traced back to the early
twentieth century but none were
published or linked with the
paranormal until 1980 in Rickard and
Kelly's Photographs of the
Unknown. This book defined
the phenomena as unusual but
natural. No other examples of
pre-mid 1990s orbs being linked with
the paranormal have come to
prominence as yet.
The
effective 'discovery' of orbs took
place when, entirely suddenly,
paranormal researchers were startled
by orbs appearing on dozens of
photographs of 'haunted houses'.
This
coincided with the mass production
and distribution of digital stills
cameras.
Orbs
became increasingly noted by
paranormal researchers in the years
that followed.
In 2002
there was an explosion of paranormal
investigation groups following the
airing of the first season of UK
cable TV show Most Haunted.
Most
Haunted made the assertion that
orbs are the manifestation of
spirits, convincing thousands of
fans, many of whom went on to become
paranormal investigators themselves.
In the
years that followed 2002 orbs became
derided as investigators saw them
too often and the rational theories
of orbs gained popularity.
These rational theories were
unscientifically tested by scores of
researchers but no scientific
evidence has been established until
now.
At the
time of writing most paranormal
groups appear to be sceptical of
orbs: some rule them out wholesale
and many rule them out unless they
fulfilled certain 'characteristics'
(see
your questions answered)
whilst a few researchers
dogmatically cling to the idea that
orbs are paranormal.
Many of
those who do rule out orbs have a
very poor understanding of the
theory involved and, thus, make many
errors during analysis.
Despite
the OfCom ruling that Most
Haunted is a program for
entertainment and "should not be
taken seriously" they have not
retracted their assertions about
orbs. As such many armchair
enthusiasts are still convinced that
orbs are paranormal.
At the
time of writing many families become
distressed, feeling they have ghosts
in their house, with the main reason
being orbs captured on their digital
cameras.
We hope
this website will help dispel some
of the myths about the orb phenomena
and educate the public at large. |
