(Singapore, 22nd) Several videos have recently circulated on Singaporean social media, showing mysterious purple orbs of light appearing consecutively in areas such as Pasir Ris, Tampines, and Yishun. Most netizens feel it looks too fake, believing it's AI or special effects; however, some believe it could be the rare 'ball lightning' phenomenon.
The first video surfaced on TikTok on the 19th, uploaded by user @niniiixcx, showing a purple orb moving irregularly across the night sky at Pasir Ris Park in Singapore, occasionally accompanied by cracking sounds and lightning. The caption read, "Am I hallucinating?" The video immediately attracted attention.
On the 20th, two more clips emerged. User @sundayannab1 uploaded dashcam footage showing a similar orb slowly drifting across the road at night in Tampines, Singapore; the orb flashed and cracked at least five times while a female passenger inside the car exclaimed and asked the driver to stop.
Another video uploaded by user @xmbubulov3 showed a purple orb darting about the void deck of an HDB block in Yishun, emitting two bursts of intense light and loud noise. The woman filming was heard exclaiming in fright, "That's so scary."
The first video surfaced on TikTok on the 19th, uploaded by user @niniiixcx, showing a purple orb moving irregularly across the night sky at Pasir Ris Park in Singapore, occasionally accompanied by cracking sounds and lightning. The caption read, "Am I hallucinating?" The video immediately attracted attention.
On the 20th, two more clips emerged. User @sundayannab1 uploaded dashcam footage showing a similar orb slowly drifting across the road at night in Tampines, Singapore; the orb flashed and cracked at least five times while a female passenger inside the car exclaimed and asked the driver to stop.
Another video uploaded by user @xmbubulov3 showed a purple orb darting about the void deck of an HDB block in Yishun, emitting two bursts of intense light and loud noise. The woman filming was heard exclaiming in fright, "That's so scary."
Some users speculated in the comments that this was ball lightning (commonly known as rolling thunder).
According to data from the China Meteorological News, Dr. Qie Xiushu, a researcher at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, explained that ball lightning, also known as rolling thunder, is a mysterious and rare natural occurrence.
According to data from the China Meteorological News, Dr. Qie Xiushu, a researcher at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, explained that ball lightning, also known as rolling thunder, is a mysterious and rare natural occurrence.
Chinese lightning protection expert Guan Xiangshi said: "It really does look like a fireball. In fact, it's a ball of lightning floating in the air with an intense glow, appearing spherical, sometimes as large as a football, sometimes just a bit bigger than a fist.
As Guan explained, "It's very puzzling. It mostly occurs during thunderstorms, but can also rarely appear on clear, cloudless days."
Because of its colored, glowing, spherical appearance, ball lightning has often been mistaken for UFOs.
In fact, depending on the temperature of the sphere, ball lightning can appear yellow, purple, blue, bright white, or even ghostly green. For example, a lower temperature results in a more reddish hue, while higher temperatures tend to make it appear more purple or blue.
How exactly does ball lightning form? This has been a mystery scientists have tried to unravel for centuries, with various guesses and hypotheses proposed, but there is still no universally accepted explanation.
As Guan explained, "It's very puzzling. It mostly occurs during thunderstorms, but can also rarely appear on clear, cloudless days."
Because of its colored, glowing, spherical appearance, ball lightning has often been mistaken for UFOs.
In fact, depending on the temperature of the sphere, ball lightning can appear yellow, purple, blue, bright white, or even ghostly green. For example, a lower temperature results in a more reddish hue, while higher temperatures tend to make it appear more purple or blue.
How exactly does ball lightning form? This has been a mystery scientists have tried to unravel for centuries, with various guesses and hypotheses proposed, but there is still no universally accepted explanation.