The Problem With Orbs

Before I start getting angry emails, let me stress that I am not, repeat NOT, saying that all orb activity is the effect of an overactive imagination or that orbs are not possible paranormal activity. That being said, what I am saying is that orbs are given far too much weight in an investigation 99% of the time.

Let me start with an example.

You can click for the full sized image if you would like. Wow! There are two orbs in the upper left hand corner of this image! But wait, I have a feeling that activity is about to pick up.

The place is just swimming with them now. What could have happened to stir up all of this activity?

Sadly, the answer is this: dust. The first image shows two illuminated dust particles. They were stirred when I opened the door to the garage. The second image shows hundreds of illuminated dust particles because I bravely and without any regard for the safety of my sinuses blew on the top of the furnace where plenty of dust had collected.

Now, I know what you are thinking. No one would stir up that much dust and not notice. Well, here's the image taken a few seconds after that last one.

We're back to a normal amount of orb activity. One could easily strip up a lot of dust without noticing and get an image like this one within a few seconds (if, for instance, I had opened the door from the outside and not the inside and wind had blown in, disturbing the same amount of dust as my breath did).

I think we are starting to get the point. Be careful when evaluating photos that you don't place too much stock in orbs. ALWAYS (and this doesn't just apply to orbs) look for the rational explanation first, and then consider a paranormal one. Never the other way around.

I hope this has been helpful, and as always, feel free to contact us.