UFO Mail - No 038 - 2004

Magazine Overview

Title: Skandinavisk UFO Information
Issue: UFO-Mail nr. 38
Date: May 17, 2004
Publisher: Danmarks UFO Forening

This issue features an article titled "På gyngende grund" (On shaky ground) by David Hambling, which delves into the phenomenon of 'swamp gas' as a potential explanation for various unexplained occurrences, including UFO sightings and spontaneous human combustion.

Swamp Gas and Will-o'-the-Wisps

The article begins by explaining that 'swamp gas' has been historically invoked to explain a wide range of supernatural phenomena, from ghosts and trolls to flying saucers and spontaneous human combustion. It notes that scientific understanding of how this phenomenon occurs has only recently become clearer.

The most well-known manifestation of swamp gas is the 'will-o'-the-wisp' (lygtemænd), described as lights resembling flying lanterns. According to folklore, these are malevolent spirits attempting to lure people into swamps. These spirits have various names across different cultures.

In Norfolk, England, the 'will-o'-the-wisp' is known as the 'lantern-man' (Jack O'Lantern). Local superstition warns that if the lantern-man shines upon you, it is best to lie flat on the ground and hold your breath. These lights are sometimes associated with the souls of the dead who have not found peace, or with individuals who have drowned.

By the 18th century, natural explanations for these lights were being sought. It was discovered that decaying organic material produces flammable methane gas (CH4). This marsh gas was also considered a possible explanation for the feeling of suffocation experienced when encountering the lantern-man. The spontaneous combustion of methane from decaying vegetation could create a flickering light, mimicking a will-o'-the-wisp. However, the mechanism by which the gas ignited remained unexplained.

The phenomenon can also be confused with the light emitted by bioluminescent fungi in warmer climates, known as 'foxfire' in the USA. This term is also used for swamp gas lights, with a parallel in Japanese folklore ('Kitsune-Bi' or fox-spirit fire), referring to lights in swampy areas attributed to malevolent fox spirits.

The Hillsdale College Incident and 'Swamp Gas'

The most famous use of 'swamp gas' as an explanation for a mysterious event occurred in 1966. At Hillsdale College in Michigan, 87 people witnessed a glowing object, shaped like an American football, hovering over a nearby swamp. The light moved towards the girls' dormitory, then flew away and disappeared. The following day, seven people, including two police officers, reported seeing another glowing object a few kilometers away. This incident is detailed in the book "UFO'ernes verden" (The World of UFOs).

Dr. J. Allen Hynek, an astronomical consultant for the U.S. Air Force's 'Project Blue Book,' investigated these observations. At a press conference, he suggested that the most plausible explanation for the lights was swamp gas. This explanation led to widespread ridicule in the press and among the public, with two publications even being named 'Swamp Gas Journal' and 'Swamp Gas Times.'

Congressman Gerald Ford, who later became president, stated that "the American people deserve a better explanation." This prompted the first congressional hearing on UFOs. The public reaction to his explanation influenced Hynek, making him more open to the possibility of UFOs. He later stated that "from that point on, I began to look at the reports from a different perspective, i.e., that some of them could be about UFOs."

The Science Behind Spontaneous Ignition

The question of what causes swamp gas to ignite was further explored. In 1879, J.P.W. Johnston and A.H. Church discovered that phosphine (PH3), which ignites spontaneously in atmospheric air, is formed when animal matter decomposes. However, there was debate about whether swamp bacteria could actually produce phosphine.

This debate continued into the 20th century. In 1995, a group of scientists published an article detailing how bacteria in the swamps of Louisiana and Florida produced phosphine. In the same year, another study indicated that bacteria actually consumed phosphine, thereby reducing its concentration.

The issue was clarified in 1996 with the application of a new low-temperature technique that allowed for the measurement of low phosphine levels in swamp air. These measurements revealed an increase in phosphine content in areas where waste was dumped, sewage was discharged, and compost was generated—places with numerous bacteria that caused decomposition without using oxygen.

Dietmar Glindemann has researched how bacteria from human feces produce phosphine and diphosphine. He has even suggested that this process might be responsible for spontaneous human combustion. The gases could ignite methane in the intestinal air. If other flammable materials, such as clothing, were present, the unfortunate person could be burned to death. Glindemann proposed the term "ignis flatus" (fire fart) for this phenomenon.

While there is a scientific explanation for the dancing swamp lights, it remains questionable whether this fully explains the Hillsdale observation. Phosphine has practical applications, such as disinfecting grain. In small quantities, it is a safe substance, but in high concentrations, it can self-ignite spontaneously. If impurities are present in the air, self-ignition can cause explosive events in grain silos. Therefore, phosphine is not a harmless substance, and will-o'-the-wisps are still considered mischievous and dangerous spirits.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores unexplained phenomena, with a focus on UFOs and related mysteries. This issue leans towards providing scientific explanations for traditionally folkloric or supernatural events, such as will-o'-the-wisps, while also acknowledging the limitations of these explanations and the ongoing debate within the scientific community. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, seeking rational explanations but not entirely dismissing the possibility of genuine unexplained events, as evidenced by J. Allen Hynek's evolving perspective.