Monday, July 21, 2014

Big Balls On Monday Mystery...!

I don't believe that I have had this one here before, but I can't remember! Still, it's another fun one!

Sometimes the strangest stories come from the finds of some ordinary folks. I think this certainly applies to this story.

The Betz Mystery Sphere


When the Betz family was examining the damage of a strange fire that had decimated 88 acres of their woodland, they made a strange discovery: a silvery sphere, about 20 centimeters (eight inches) in diameter, completely smooth except for a strange, elongated triangle symbol. Initially thinking it might be a NASA gadget or even a Soviet spy satellite, they eventually decided it was most likely just a souvenir. On a moment’s whim, they decided to take it with them.

Two weeks later, the family’s son was strumming a guitar in the same room as the sphere. Suddenly, the sphere started reacting to his tunes, emitting a strange throbbing sound and a resonance that deeply disturbed the family’s dog. Soon, the Betz family found the orb had other strange properties. It could stop and change directions when pushed across the floor, eventually returning to the person who pushed it like a faithful dog. It seemed to draw power from solar energy, becoming noticeably more active on bright days.

It started looking like something (or someone) was controlling the sphere: It would occasionally emit low-frequency rattling and vibrations, like there was a motor running inside. It seemed to avoid falling and crashing at all costs, as if to protect something inside it. It even managed to completely defy the laws of gravity and climb up a slanted table to avoid falling.

A media frenzy ensued. Respected papers such as the New York Times and the London Daily sent reporters to witness the miracle sphere, which repeated its tricks to countless people. Even scientists and representatives of the military were impressed, although the Betz family wouldn’t let them take the sphere for closer examination. However, that soon changed as the sphere took a turn for the worse. It started exhibiting poltergeist–like behavior: Doors started slamming shut at night and strange organ music would fill the house out of the blue. At that point, the family decided to find out what the sphere really was. The Navy analyzed it and found it was . . . a perfectly ordinary (if high-quality) stainless steel ball.

To this day, it’s not entirely clear what the mysterious alien sphere is. However, there have been many theories attempting to explain its possible nature. The most plausible of these is, incidentally, the most mundane: Three years before the Betz family found the orb, an artist named James Durling-Jones was driving in the area where it was found. On the luggage rack on his car roof were a number of stainless steel balls meant for a sculpture he was making, some of which dropped off during the bumpy ride. These balls matched the exact description of the Betz sphere, and were balanced enough to roll around at the slightest provocation (the Betz family lived in an old house with uneven floors, so such a ball would appear to behave erratically). These balls could even emit a rattling sound, thanks to tiny metal shavings stuck inside during the manufacturing process.

Although this doesn’t explain all of the reported phenomena, it certainly casts a shadow over all the “mysterious ghost ball from outer space” rhetoric.

While I don't know what this thing is or why it does what it does...I think it would be nice to have one. Not that my life is dull or anything, but it would be cool to have something to scare the cats with!

Coffee out on the patio this morning.

7 comments:

Sunnybrook Farm said...

Nothing like magic balls for a fun time, amuse your friends for hours.

Chickenmom said...

They make a ball with a raccoon tail attached to it. Turn on the switch and it starts to roll around on the floor. Drove my Mother's cats crazy for years!

linda m said...

It would be great to drive my sons cats crazy. Not that they aren't crazy enough. Nothing better than a magic ball for hours of fun.

JO said...

I bet even Fred would love this ball.

Dizzy-Dick said...

Most people prefer the mystery to the truth. The truth takes all the fun out of it.

HermitJim said...

Hey Sunnybrook...
How true that is. Never get enough of "magic balls!

Thanks for stopping by today!



Hey Phyllis...
Now that sounds like something I could use! Wonder if they still make them?

Thanks for coming by today!



Hey Linda M...
Cats do act crazy at times. I know, I have 5!

Thanks for coming by today!



Hey Jo...
He might at that! Then again, he might just ignore it all together!

Thanks, sweetie, for stopping by today!



Hey Dizzy...
Isn't that always how it works?

Thanks for coming over this morning!

Anonymous said...

I remember this one from when I was young and every now and again I've been wondering if they had found out what it was. Would be fun to see it in action :-)

Have a great day!
Christer.