Ball Lightning: A Favored Theory in UFO Investigations

It was a focal point in explanations of the Nov.2, 1957 Levelland, Texas UFO reports and the October 24, 1968 Minot AFB, North Dakota case, as well as some sprinkled here and there in other cases.

Noted debunker, Philip Klass, wrote an early article suggesting plasma ball lighting could explain UFO's and other paranormal claims. He became a favorite correspondent of some at Project Blue Book, Dr. Donald H. Menzel in his book "The World of Flying Saucers" staunchly defends the ball lighting/pinched lightening/ plasma theories, especially as related to Levelland. The Minot file contain a mention of a Mr. Goff at "TDPA" suggesting  (in memo dated 1 Nov. 1968) that "ionized air plasma similar to ball lightning" could account for the "radar blips, loss of transmission, and some of the visual sightings."

It is interesting to note that into the 21st century the topic of ball lightning, although gaining some footholds in science, is still not fully accepted by many scientists. The problem is the phenomena, if real, is so rare it makes investigating it difficult and replicating it ( a foundation of the scientific method) next to impossible.  Some are beginning to create in labs a form of such but the end result often fails to reflect witness accounts of ball lightning seen outside the labs.

Further, what research that has been accomplished seems to dismiss this phenomena as being responsible for all the UFO accounts that have been laid at its feet. (so to speak).  The Maser-Soliton Theory of Ball Lightning appears to suggest strongly that ball lightning is harmless inside airplanes, submarines and even homes, that such lightening ends with an often violent and damaging explosion.  Since such lightening is often alleged to have been responsible for turning off engines, interfering with radios, cutting off EMF transmissions, and never resulting in violent and damaging explosions it would appear to rule this out. Unless some plane crashes, automobile accidents and a submarine sinking have been the result of an unmentioned ball lightning encounter.


Read more here.https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/periodically-i-hear-stori/