Strange Evidence (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Curse of Osiris - full transcript

Narrator: WORLDWIDE, 300
MILLION SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

ARE WATCHING US ON OUR STREETS,

AT WORK, AND IN OUR HOMES.

THEY CAPTURE THINGS THAT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE.

IT DEFIES THE LAWS OF PHYSICS.

Man: THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE, MAN.

Narrator: EXPERTS CARRY
OUT FORENSIC ANALYSIS

OF THESE UNUSUAL EVENTS.

THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME EXPLANATION

FOR WHAT'S GOING ON.

[ PEOPLE SCREAMING ]



Narrator: COMING UP, SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

FIND A MONSTER IN A CITY SEWER.

WHATEVER THAT THING
IS, I'M NOT GOING NEAR IT.

Narrator: A GAS-STATION CUSTOMER
BECOMES A HUMAN FIREBALL.

THERE WERE SPARKS FLYING EVERYWHERE.

THE PAIN WAS EXCRUCIATING.

Narrator: AN ANCIENT CURSE
BRINGS A STATUE TO LIFE.

TO SEE THIS THING
SPINNING, IT'S REALLY CREEPY.

Narrator: AND SECURITY CAMERAS
CAPTURE A CLOSE ENCOUNTER.

Woman: OH, MY GOD.

I CANNOT EXPLAIN WHAT
HAPPENED AT THAT MOMENT.

BIZARRE PHENOMENA, MYSTERIES
CAUGHT ON SURVEILLANCE.

WHAT'S THE TRUTH BEHIND
THIS STRANGE EVIDENCE?

SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS CAPTURE
A SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION.



I LOOKED DOWN, AND I SAW THESE FLAMES.

I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE.

Narrator: AT A GAS STATION,
IT'S A NIGHTMARE SCENARIO.

WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING?

WHAT POSSIBLY COULD CAUSE
SOMEBODY TO EXPLODE LIKE THAT?

PANTS DON'T JUST BURST INTO FLAMES.

WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

♪♪

Narrator: OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY,

FEBRUARY 20, 2016.

IT'S A REGULAR SATURDAY
MORNING AT A LOCAL GAS STATION.

24-HOUR SURVEILLANCE
CAMERAS SEE EVERYTHING.

♪♪

9:00 A.M., THE CAMERAS CAPTURE
A CUSTOMER ENTERING THE STORE.

WE GET MAYBE 1,000 PEOPLE
COMING IN EVERY DAY HERE.

I WAS ONE OF THEM.

Narrator: STILL RECORDING,

THE CAMERAS FILM SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.

NEXT MOMENT, A REALLY LOUD BLAST HAPPENED.

IT WAS LOUDER THAN FIREWORK.

♪♪

Narrator: THE UNFORTUNATE CUSTOMER

IS OWENSBORO LOCAL JOSH HAMILTON.

Hamilton: I WAS ACTUALLY
OFF WORK FOR THE DAY.

I WAS GONNA GO MEET A BUDDY.

SO I JUST STOPPED FOR SOME... A DRINK

AND MAYBE SOME SNACKS OR SOMETHING.

I WAS PAYING FOR MY FOOD,

AND THE ATTENDANT GAVE ME MY CHANGE.

I PUT MY CHANGE IN MY POCKET.

AND THERE WAS A HUGE EXPLOSION.

IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN GOING OFF.

MY PANTS CAUGHT ON FIRE.

THERE WERE SPARKS FLYING EVERYWHERE.

I WAS VERY AFRAID.

Narrator: JOSH HAS NO
IDEA WHAT'S HAPPENING.

FLAMES RIP THROUGH HIS PANTS,

INTENSE HEAT OVER 900
DEGREES MELTS HIS SKIN.

THE PAIN WAS EXCRUCIATING.

THERE'S JUST A SHARP, SHARP
PAIN SHOOTING UP MY LEG.

Narrator: HE'S ACUTELY
AWARE OF HIS SURROUNDINGS.

I RAN OUTSIDE JUST TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE

AND TO KEEP THE STORE FROM
POSSIBLY CATCHING ON FIRE.

Gollen: HE WAS RUNNING OUTSIDE.

AND THERE'S 10, 12 GAS PUMPS OUT THERE.

I WAS THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW,
THE WHOLE PLACE COULD BLOW UP.

Narrator: ATTENDANTS
TACKLE THE BURNING MAN.

Hamilton: THEY RUSHED OUT
WITH ME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT

AS I WAS TRYING TO TAKE MY PANTS OFF.

SO IT WAS A PRETTY CHAOTIC SCENE.

PANTS DON'T JUST BURST
INTO FLAMES NORMALLY.

SO WE NEED TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

Narrator: THE GAS STATION POSTS
THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE ONLINE.

THE CLIP GOES VIRAL WITH
NEARLY HALF A MILLION HITS.

SOME SUSPECT A LOOSE
BULLET MAY HAVE GONE OFF

IN THE MAN'S POCKET.

PYROTECHNIC SPECIALIST MIKE SANSOM

IS A CHEMICAL ENGINEER.

HE HAS OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

IN EXPLOSIVES TECHNOLOGY.

EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN A BULLET GOES OFF IN A GUN.

IT'S GOT A TREMENDOUS ENERGY,
AND THE BULLET FLIES OUT.

SO OUT OF A GUN, WOULD A
BULLET PRODUCE ALL THESE FLAMES

THAT YOU SEE IN HIS POCKET?

Narrator: SANSOM BUILDS A RIG
TO TEST THE BULLET THEORY.

HE USES A SPRING-LOADED DEVICE

TO ACT AS A PRIMER FOR THE BULLET.

THE HOMEMADE PRIMER DOES ITS JOB.

A SPECTACULAR RESULT, BUT
DOES IT MATCH THE EXPLOSION

IN THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE?

Sansom: BULLETS ARE EXPLOSIVE.

BUT THEY'RE NOT AS EXPLOSIVE
AS WHAT YOU SAW IN THAT VIDEO.

THEY DON'T PRODUCE LOTS OF FIRE.

AND IT'S NOT SUSTAINED
FOR A LONG AMOUNT OF TIME.

IT'S REALLY QUICK, AND
IT'S OVER IN A FLASH.

♪♪

Narrator: EXPERTS RETURN TO
THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE

LOOKING FOR CLUES RELATING TO THE FIRE

RAGING IN JOSH'S POCKET.

SO TO MAKE FIRE, YOU NEED THREE THINGS.

YOU NEED FUEL. YOU NEED OXYGEN.

AND YOU NEED AN IGNITION SOURCE.

SO IN THIS VIDEO, WE KNOW
THAT WE HAVE AIR, OXYGEN.

BUT WHAT IS THE FUEL AND
WHAT IS THE IGNITION SOURCE?

Narrator: WHEN MATERIAL
SCIENTIST MATTHEW McDOWELL

STUDIES THE FOOTAGE, HE SEES TELLTALE SIGNS

OF A PARTICULAR TYPE OF EXPLOSIVE REACTION.

YOU SEE THE SHARP RUSH
OF FLAME THAT COMES OUT,

THAT'S POTENTIALLY DUE TO A
BUILDUP OF PRESSURE SOMEWHERE.

Narrator: JOSH HAMILTON'S RECOLLECTION

SEEMS TO BACK UP
McDOWELL'S EXPLOSION THEORY.

IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS A
FIREWORK GOING OFF IN MY POCKET

AND SHOOTING SPARKS EVERYWHERE.

CLEARLY, THERE'S AN ENORMOUS
AMOUNT OF ENERGY BEING RELEASED

BY WHATEVER IS IN THIS GUY'S POCKET.

SO THERE'S SOME KIND OF ENERGY STORAGE

THAT'S TAKING PLACE THAT'S BEING REVERSED.

ENERGY IS BEING RELEASED.

Narrator: MATTHEW
McDOWELL BELIEVES HE KNOWS

WHAT THE CAUSE MIGHT BE.

McDowell: CONSIDERING THE PRESSURE BUILDUP

AND THE FLAME THAT WAS EJECTED

AND THE FACT THAT IT CAME
FROM THIS PERSON'S POCKET,

IT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS PROBABLY

A LITHIUM-ION BATTERY
THAT CAUSED THIS EXPLOSION.

Narrator: NEWS REPORTS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD

SUGGEST THAT THE NUMBER
OF LITHIUM-ION BATTERY FIRES

IS INCREASING.

LAPTOPS, CELLPHONES, EVEN
AIRLINERS HAVE BEEN ENDANGERED.

Wise: ALMOST EVERYBODY
THESE DAYS WALKS AROUND

WITH A LITHIUM-ION BATTERY IN THEIR POCKET.

THAT BATTERY COULD BECOME A BOMB.

IT'S KIND OF SCARY TO
THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT

OF POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE ENERGY

THAT YOU'RE CARRYING AROUND
IN YOUR POCKET WITH YOU.

McDowell: FROM OUR DAILY EXPERIENCE,

WE KNOW THAT OUR BATTERIES
DON'T JUST RANDOMLY EXPLODE.

SO THE QUESTION IS,

WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS PARTICULAR VIDEO?

♪♪

Narrator: SANSOM SUSPECTS
SOME KIND OF SHORT CIRCUIT

IN A BATTERY MAY HAVE CREATED THE FIREBALL.

HE BUILDS A RIG TO REPLICATE
A BATTERY SHORT CIRCUIT.

♪♪

WITHIN SECONDS, THE BATTERY OVERHEATS.

SUPERHEATED LIQUID RUPTURES THE CASING.

THE BATTERY EXPLODES INTO FLAMES.

IT'S AN IDENTICAL CHAIN OF EVENTS

TO WHAT'S SEEN IN THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE.

BUT HOW IS IT POSSIBLE
FOR A SIMPLE SHORT CIRCUIT

TO BE SO CATASTROPHIC?

WHEN A BATTERY SHORT-CIRCUITS,
THE TERMINALS COME TOGETHER.

AND THIS FEEDS ALL THE
ENERGY OF THE BATTERY THROUGH

AND BACK INTO THE BATTERY,

WHICH IN TURN CAUSES IT TO
HEAT UP AND ACTUALLY EXPLODE.

♪♪

Narrator: COMING UP,

A MUTANT LIFE-FORM
BENEATH THE CITY STREETS.

IT LOOKS SOMETHING LIKE A PULSATING SACK.

I MEAN, IT MAKES YOU WONDER
WHAT KIND OF CREATURE

MIGHT BURST OUT OF THIS.

Narrator: AND FIND OUT WHY

THE BATTERY IN THIS MAN'S
POCKET SHORT-CIRCUITS,

CREATING AN EXPLOSIVE FIREBALL.

DEFINITELY POSSIBLE THAT IT'S DISCHARGING

WHILE HE'S WALKING INTO THE STORE,

HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IT.

Narrator: SCIENTISTS BELIEVE
THAT A FAULTY LITHIUM BATTERY

STARTS THE FIRE IN JOSH HAMILTON'S POCKET.

BUT HAMILTON'S CELLPHONE
SURVIVES THE FIREBALL INTACT.

DOES HE HAVE SOME OTHER
LITHIUM-POWERED DEVICE?

Hamilton: I HAD AN E-CIG
BATTERY IN MY POCKET.

IT'S THE SAME SIZE AS ANY OTHER BATTERY.

AND I DIDN'T REALLY THINK ANYTHING OF IT.

Narrator: JOSH HAMILTON IS ONE
OF 9 MILLION VAPERS IN THE U.S.

WITH SO MANY E-CIGARETTES ON THE MARKET,

DESIGN FLAWS CAN HAPPEN.

Wise: A POORLY MANUFACTURED CIGARETTE

WITH A FLAW IN THE BATTERY

CAN ALLOW THIS KIND OF RELEASE OF ENERGY,

THE SHORT CIRCUIT, THE HEAT,
THE FLAMES, THE ERUPTION.

Narrator: MATTHEW
McDOWELL BELIEVES HE KNOWS

WHAT TRIGGERS THE EXPLOSIVE EVENT.

IF YOU WERE TO CAUSE AN
EXTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT,

MAYBE IF A COIN GOT LODGED

BETWEEN THE TERMINALS OF A BATTERY,

IT CAN CAUSE THE BATTERY
TO DISCHARGE VERY FAST.

BECAUSE THIS BATTERY IS IN HIS POCKET

AND THERE ARE METAL COINS IN HIS POCKET,

IT'S DEFINITELY POSSIBLE
THAT IT'S DISCHARGING

WHILE HE'S WALKING INTO THE STORE

AND HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IT.

Narrator: A FAULTY E-CIGARETTE BATTERY

COMBINED WITH SOMETHING AS HARMLESS

AS SMALL CHANGE IN A POCKET
CAN BE A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.

Hamilton: I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED, REALLY,

THAT SOMETHING THAT
SMALL COULD REALLY CREATE

THAT BIG OF AN EXPLOSION OR
BE THAT, YOU KNOW, VOLATILE.

♪♪

Narrator: SOME FEAR THE DANGERS
FROM THESE POWERFUL BATTERIES

WILL ONLY GET WORSE.

AS THESE BATTERIES GET BIGGER
AND THEIR ENERGY CAPACITY GROWS,

YOU COULD SEE NOT JUST
LIKE SOMEONE'S PANTS POCKET

CATCHING ON FIRE, YOU COULD
SEE BIGGER AND BIGGER EXPLOSIONS.

IF THE BATTERIES GET BIGGER,

THE POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHE GETS BIGGER.

♪♪

Narrator: NOW PHANTOM
SPECTERS INVADE A MUSEUM.

SECURITY CAMERAS CAPTURE EVIDENCE

OF A 4,000-YEAR-OLD STATUE COMING TO LIFE.

TO SEE THIS THING
SPINNING, IT'S REALLY CREEPY.

STATUES JUST DON'T MOVE
OF THEIR OWN ACCORD.

Narrator: MANY BELIEVE A TROUBLED SPIRIT

COULD BE REACHING OUT
FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE.

IS IT CURSED? IS IT POSSESSED?

♪♪

Narrator: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

IN THE HEART OF THE CITY
LIES ONE OF THE OLDEST

AND MOST PRESTIGIOUS MUSEUMS IN EUROPE.

GUARDED BY 24-HOUR SURVEILLANCE
AND SEALED WITHIN GLASS CASES

ARE SACRED ARTIFACTS AND
RELICS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT.

MANCHESTER MUSEUM HAS ONE
OF THE LARGEST COLLECTIONS

OF EGYPTIAN OBJECTS ANYWHERE IN BRITAIN.

WE HAVE ABOUT 18,000 OBJECTS IN TOTAL.

Narrator: FEBRUARY 2013.

EGYPTIAN ANTIQUES CURATOR CAMPBELL PRICE

WORKS LATE INTO THE NIGHT.

AS HE LOCKS UP, HE SEES SOMETHING

THAT HE WILL NEVER FORGET.

Price: WALKING THROUGH THE GALLERY,

I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE
PIECES, A SMALL STATUETTE,

HAD BEEN TURNED TO
FACE THE BACK OF THE CASE.

IT WAS USUALLY STOOD FACING THE FRONT.

SO I THOUGHT THIS WAS UNUSUAL.

Narrator: A 10-INCH-HIGH STONE FIGURINE

TAKEN FROM THE TOMB OF AN EGYPTIAN OFFICIAL

HAS SOMEHOW TURNED 180
DEGREES INSIDE ITS SEALED CABINET.

Price: THE FIRST TIME I SAW IT,

REALLY, I THOUGHT SOMEONE HAD GONE IN

AND JUST MADE THIS ONE PIECE
FACE THE BACK OF THE CASE.

SO I THOUGHT SOMEONE
WAS PLAYING A TRICK ON ME.

BUT THE CASE IS LOCKED AND ALARMED.

AND I HAD ONE OF THE ONLY KEYS.

♪♪

Narrator: THE FOLLOWING MORNING,

PRICE RETURNS TO CHECK IN ON THE STATUE.

WHAT HE SEES STOPS HIM IN HIS TRACKS.

Price: I CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY.

AND IT WAS IN A DIFFERENT POSITION.

IT MOVED AGAIN.

MY REACTION WAS GENUINE BEMUSEMENT.

Narrator: PRICE TURNS TO THE
MUSEUM'S SECURITY CAMERAS

FOR CLUES TO WHO OR
WHAT IS MOVING THE STATUE.

THE TAPES REVEAL A DISTURBING TRUTH.

I MEAN, I THINK I SHRIEKED.

THE RESULTS, WHEN SPED UP,

PRODUCED THIS REALLY CREEPY-LOOKING VIDEO

OF THE STATUE SPINNING,

THE ONLY THING MOVING IN THE CASE.

WE ALWAYS SUSPECTED THAT
THERE WAS SOME ELEMENT

OF THE SUPERNATURAL

IN THE ANCIENT WORLD,
ESPECIALLY ANCIENT EGYPT.

AND HERE IT IS, BEFORE OUR VERY EYES.

Narrator: COMING UP, THINGS GET
WEIRD IN THE MICHIGAN WOODS.

Woman: OH, MY GOD. OH, MY GOD.

THE LIGHT THAT YOU SEE IS THE
PHANTOM TRAIN COMING AT YOU.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ]

Narrator: AND EXPERTS SOLVE THE MYSTERY

OF THE BIZARRE SPINNING STATUE.

THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME PHYSICAL
EXPLANATION FOR WHAT'S GOING ON.

Narrator: MANCHESTER MUSEUM, ENGLAND,

SECURITY CAMERAS CAPTURE EVIDENCE

OF AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ARTIFACT
APPARENTLY COMING TO LIFE.

RECORDS INDICATE THE MYSTERIOUS OBJECT

WAS DONATED TO THE MUSEUM IN 1933.

Gough: THE REASON IT
WAS GIVEN TO THE MUSEUM

REMAINS SHROUDED IN MYSTERY.

ALL WE DO KNOW IS THAT
IT WAS FOUND IN A TOMB

ALONGSIDE A MUMMY.

Narrator: ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
MUMMIFIED THE DEAD

TO PROVIDE A VESSEL FOR
THE SOUL INTO THE AFTERLIFE.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT NOT TO
HAVE THE MUMMY DISTURBED.

IF YOU DIDN'T ALLOW THE
SOUL TO GO TO THE NEXT PHASE,

THEY COULD HAUNT YOU AS GHOSTS.

Narrator: LEGEND HAS IT

TOMBS WERE CURSED TO
PROTECT THE SACRED MUMMIES.

BUT EXPERTS' ANALYSIS OF
THE STATUE'S HIEROGLYPHS

DISCOVERS NO EVIDENCE OF A DEADLY CURSE.

INSTEAD, THEY REVEAL A FERVENT
PRAYER TO THE GOD OSIRIS.

THE GOD OSIRIS IS LIKE THE
MAJOR ANCIENT EGYPTIAN GOD.

HE'S THE GOD OF DEATH
AND OF THE UNDERWORLD.

AND HE'S THE MOST FEARED
AND RESPECTED IN ALL THE LAND.

Narrator: EXPERTS BELIEVE
WHOEVER OWNED THIS STATUE

USED IT AS AN INSURANCE POLICY.

THE IDEA IS, THE STATUE REPRESENTS A PERSON

IF THE MUMMY IS DESTROYED.

IT BECOMES HIS BACKUP VESSEL
TO TAKE HIS SOUL TO OSIRIS.

IF THIS STATUE IS A LIFEBOAT,
THEN THE FACT THAT IT IS

SPINNING NOW ON ITS OWN
BEGINS TO MAKE SENSE.

SO IF THIS IS HIM
INCARNATED IN THIS STATUE,

WHAT IS IT TRYING TO TELL US?

Narrator: FOR SCIENTISTS,

THE IDEA THAT A SPIRIT
FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE

IS SPINNING THE STATUE JUST DOESN'T ADD UP.

CHEMIST ANDREA SELLA FROM
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON,

EXAMINES THE MUSEUM'S
SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE FOR CLUES.

WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING SO,
KIND OF, KOOKY AND UNEXPECTED,

IT ALWAYS PIQUES YOUR INTEREST.

AND YET, THERE'S GOT TO BE
SOME PHYSICAL EXPLANATION

FOR WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE FIRST QUESTION I ASK IS,

WHAT IS THE OBJECT ACTUALLY MADE OF?

IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT
THAT MATERIAL THAT THE STATUE

IS CARVED FROM THAT IS
CAUSING THIS MOVEMENT?

Narrator: FORENSIC MICROSCOPY
REVEALS THE STATUE IS CARVED

FROM A VOLCANIC ROCK CALLED SERPENTINE.

SERPENTINE IS A RELATIVELY COMMON MATERIAL

IN THE EARTH'S CRUST.

AND WE KNOW THAT IT
CONTAINS TINY AMOUNTS OF IRON.

IT DOES SHOW A VERY,
VERY WEAK MAGNETIC EFFECT.

Narrator: ANDREA SELLA TESTS

IF INVISIBLE FORCES COULD BE AT WORK.

WE'VE ACTUALLY SUSPENDED A PIECE
OF SERPENTINE FROM THIS THREAD.

AND SO LET'S GET OUR
MAGNET AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS

WHEN WE BRING IT UP TO THIS ROCK.

LOOK, IT STARTS TO
ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE MAGNET.

Narrator: SERPENTINE'S MAGNETIC PROPERTIES

SUGGEST THE STATUE

COULD BE MOVED BY A MAGNETIC FIELD.

THE QUESTION IS, WHAT
TYPE AND WHAT STRENGTH?

MAYBE, IF YOU HAD A SPINNING
MAGNET UNDERNEATH THE STATUE,

YOU COULD KIND OF ENCOURAGE
THE STATUE TO MOVE AROUND.

WE CAN ACTUALLY SPIN OBJECTS USING MAGNETS.

AND A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT
IS THIS PIECE OF LAB EQUIPMENT

CALLED A MAGNETIC STIRRER.

NOW, I HAVE A LITTLE BAR MAGNET.

AND I'M GONNA PUT IT ON TOP.

AND YOU CAN SEE, IMMEDIATELY,

THAT THERE MUST BE SOMETHING
MAGNETIC UNDERNEATH.

THE ATTRACTION IS QUITE STRONG.

AND IF I TURN THE MOTOR ON,

WHICH CAUSES THE MAGNETS
UNDERNEATH TO GO AROUND,

I CAN GET THIS TO SPIN.

IF WE TAKE OUR PIECE OF
SERPENTINE AND PLACE IT ON TOP,

IT DOESN'T MOVE.

TO SEE ANY KIND OF FORCE,
YOU WOULD REALLY NEED TO HAVE

AN ENORMOUS MAGNET
MOVING AROUND THE OUTSIDE.

AND OF COURSE, WE DON'T SEE THAT.

TO ME, MAGNETISM REALLY ISN'T
WITHIN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY.

♪♪

Narrator: EVIDENCE FROM THE
STATUE MAKES ANDREA SELLA THINK

THERE MAY BE SOMETHING ELSE AT WORK.

HE NOTICES THERE'S SOMETHING
ABOUT THE BASE THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

THE FACT THAT THE BASE
OF THE STATUE IS NOT FLAT

IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

IN FACT, IT'S CONVEX.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT LOOKS
LIKE THE BOTTOM OF A SPOON.

Narrator: FOR PHYSICIST IAN
RUSSELL, THE SHAPE OF THE BASE

REMINDS HIM OF SOMETHING ELSE
THAT SEEMS TO MOVE ON ITS OWN.

I COULD SEE DAYLIGHT HERE.
I COULD SEE DAYLIGHT THERE.

AND IMMEDIATELY, I THOUGHT
ABOUT A RATTLEBACK.

Narrator: A RATTLEBACK
IS A SEMI-ELLIPSOIDAL TOY

THAT SPINS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

IT SEEMS LIKELY TO ME THAT
THE CONVEX BASE OF THIS STATUE

HAS SIMILAR PROPERTIES TO THIS.

♪♪

SO WHEN THE STATUE
WOBBLES EVER SO SLIGHTLY,

IT TURNS EVER SO SLIGHTLY.

THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS CAUSING
THE STATUE TO START VIBRATING?

IT SEEMS TO MOVE THAT LITTLE
BIT FASTER DURING THE DAYTIME

AND THAT LITTLE BIT SLOWER AT NIGHT.

IT MIGHT BE THAT PEOPLE WALKING UP AND DOWN

IN FRONT OF THE GALLERY,

WHAT THEY DO IS, THEY MAKE
THE FLOOR MOVE VERY SLIGHTLY.

PERHAPS, IT'S EVEN THE TRAFFIC OUTSIDE.

Narrator: ONE OF THE BUSIEST
DAYTIME BUS ROUTES IN EUROPE

SITS JUST 10 YARDS FROM THE MUSEUM.

TO CONFIRM IF THIS IS
CAUSING THE SINISTER SPINNING,

STAFF AT THE MUSEUM
ATTACH VIBRATION SENSORS

TO THE GLASS CABINET.

WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THAT THERE
WERE QUITE A LOT OF VIBRATIONS

DURING THE DAY, YOU KNOW,
WHEN THE BUSES ARE GOING

AND WHEN THE PEOPLE
ARE GOING BACK AND FORTH,

BUT THEN IT SETTLED DOWN AT NIGHT.

AND THAT WAS CORRELATED WITH
THE MOVEMENT OF THE STATUE.

Sella: REMEMBER THAT
THE MOTION OF THIS STATUE

IS BY A FRACTION OF A
FRACTION OF A MILLIMETER

WITH EACH ONE OF THESE TINY JERKS.

CUMULATIVELY, HOWEVER,
THEY ADD UP TO THIS BEAUTIFUL

AND WEIRD MOTION.

Narrator: SCIENTISTS BELIEVE
THEY'VE SOLVED THE MYSTERY.

THE MUSEUM STAFF ATTACH A RUBBER
MEMBRANE TO THE STATUE'S BASE.

IT'S ENOUGH TO SUBDUE AN OBJECT
ONCE THOUGHT TO BE POSSESSED.

THE STATUE IS NOT SPINNING NOW.

BUT PEOPLE STILL COME INTO
THE MUSEUM WHO WANT TO SEE IT,

ASSOCIATING IT WITH THE SUPERNATURAL.

Narrator: COMING UP, AN ALIEN-LIKE ENTITY

INVADES THE SEWERS OF RALEIGH.

Brown: IT'S JUST GOOEY-LOOKING.

AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT HAS
GOT A HEARTBEAT LIKE IT'S ALIVE.

♪♪

Narrator: DEEP BENEATH THE
CITY, A MONSTER AWAKENS.

HAVE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
DISTURBED A MUTANT LIFE-FORM?

IT LOOKS LIKE THIS RED BLOB.

THEN, IT STARTS WRITHING.

IT STARTS PULSATING.

Narrator: EXPERTS HAVE NO
IDEA WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.

SOME FEAR AN INVASION COULD BE ON THE WAY.

THERE'S THOUSANDS OF MILES OF
SEWERS UNDERNEATH OUR CITIES.

WHAT ELSE IS LIVING DOWN THERE?

♪♪

Narrator: APRIL 27, 2009,
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

ENGINEERS PERFORM A ROUTINE INSPECTION

OF THE CITY'S SEWER SYSTEM.

IN CHARGE OF THIS UNDERGROUND NETWORK...

ED BUCHAN.

WE SERVE ROUGHLY 560,000 PEOPLE.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE 2,500 MILES
OF SEWER LINE THAT WE MAINTAIN.

SO THAT'S ENOUGH MILEAGE
TO GO FROM RALEIGH,

NORTH CAROLINA, TO LAS VEGAS.

Narrator: THAT MUCH PIPING
REQUIRES CONSTANT MAINTENANCE.

AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE,

UNDERGROUND UTILITIES
ARE DIFFICULT TO INSPECT.

SO WE'VE DEVISED A SYSTEM BY WHICH

WE PUT A ROBOTIC CAMERA DOWN THE PIPE.

Narrator: SEWER ENGINEER Q BROWN
HAS OVER 5 YEARS' EXPERIENCE

WITH THESE ROBOTIC CAMERAS.

Brown: WE USE THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM

BECAUSE IT GIVES US MORE FLEXIBILITY

AND MORE CAPABILITY OF GETTING IN THE PIPE

AND ACTUALLY SEEING WHAT IS GOING ON.

Narrator: AS THE ROBOTIC CAMERA
TRACKS THROUGH THE SEWER,

THE TEAM COMES FACE-TO-FACE WITH
SOMETHING BEYOND COMPREHENSION.

♪♪

IT'S SLIMY. IT'S JUST GOOEY-LOOKING.

AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT HAS
GOT A HEARTBEAT, LIKE IT'S ALIVE.

WHEN THE LIGHT FROM THE ROBOT SHINED ON IT,

IT RETRACTED AND REACTED TO THE LIGHT.

Narrator: THE TEAM OFTEN
SEE CREATURES DOWN HERE,

BUT THIS ALIEN ENCOUNTER
IS SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT.

YOU'LL FIND ALL SORTS OF
DIFFERENT ANIMALS IN THERE.

THEY USUALLY RANGE
FROM SNAKES, LIZARDS, RATS

TO A PLETHORA OF INSECTS LIKE ROACHES

AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEY TYPICALLY ARE GOING
TO RUN THE OTHER DIRECTION

WHEN THEY SEE A ROBOTIC
DEVICE COMING AT THEM

WITH A BIG LIGHT ON IT.

Narrator: WHATEVER IT IS,

THIS THING IS NOT RUNNING AWAY.

IT MAY REACT TO THE ROBOTIC LIGHTS,

BUT IT STANDS ITS GROUND.

IT SEEMS IMPERVIOUS TO
DANGEROUSLY HIGH LEVELS

OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE AND AMMONIA,

TOXIC GASES DEADLY TO HUMANS.

BUCHAN AND HIS TEAM NEED TO FIND
OUT WHAT THIS PULSATING CREATURE

COULD BE BEFORE IT SPREADS OR ATTACKS.

SO I INITIALLY SEARCHED
ONLINE FOR OTHER EXAMPLES

OF WHAT THIS MIGHT BE AND
REALLY CAME UP WITH NOTHING.

I WAS PRIVATELY HOPING
THAT SOMEBODY WOULD SAY,

"OH, YEAH, WE'VE SEEN THAT ALL THE TIME.

IT'S BEEN HERE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH."

AND WE NEVER GOT THAT.

Narrator: ALL THEY HAVE TO GO
ON IS THAT THIS PULSING BLOB

HAS SUDDENLY APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE.

THE FOCUS SWITCHES TO POSSIBLE ENTRY POINTS

INTO THE UNDERGROUND NETWORK.

MAPS OF THE SEWER SYSTEM
REVEAL THAT PART OF THE NETWORK

RUNS CLOSE TO MEDICAL
RESEARCH LABORATORIES.

THEY CALL THIS THE RESEARCH TRIANGLE.

IT'S IN AN AREA KNOWN FOR
CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH.

YOU HAVE GLOW-IN-THE-DARK BUNNY RABBITS.

YOU HAVE MICE WITH EARS
GROWING OUT OF THEM.

AND YOU HAVE RESEARCH
EVEN COMBINING PIG EMBRYOS

WITH HUMAN DNA.

SO YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT KIND
OF CRAZY THINGS COULD BE GOING ON

IN THESE LABS.

Narrator: THE PROXIMITY OF THE
RESEARCH LABS TO THE SEWER

IS ENOUGH TO SEND THE WEB
INTO FRENZIED SPECULATION.

MYSTERIES INVESTIGATOR LYLE BLACKBURN

HAS AN ALARMING THEORY.

IT'S NOT HARD TO IMAGINE THAT
THIS PULSATING BALL WAS CREATED

BY SCIENTISTS

AND ACCIDENTALLY WASHED
DOWN THE DRAIN INTO THE SEWER.

Narrator: COULD THE ENTITY IN
THE SEWERS HAVE BEEN CREATED

IN ONE OF THESE RESEARCH LABS?

THIS GLISTENING BLOB IS
VERY PINK AND FLESH-COLORED.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO WONDER IF THIS
RED COLOR ISN'T FROM HEMOGLOBIN,

WHICH IS THE CHEMICAL IN OUR
OWN BLOOD THAT CARRIES OXYGEN.

Narrator: MEANING IT COULD BE
SOME KIND OF MUTANT TISSUE

TAKING ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN.

WORSE, THE SURVEILLANCE
CAMERA MAY HAVE ANGERED IT.

AND RIGHT NOW, NO ONE KNOWS
HOW MANY MORE ARE DOWN THERE.

COMING UP, A UFO DESCENDS ON THIS CROWD.

Man: THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE, MAN.

IT'S KIND OF TERRIFYING
BUT ALSO KIND OF THRILLING.

Narrator: AND FIND OUT WHAT EXACTLY
THE MUTANT SEWER CREATURE IS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ANIMAL
THAT'S ALMOST INDESTRUCTIBLE.

♪♪

Narrator: SURVEILLANCE
CAMERAS HAVE CAPTURED

WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MUTANT MAMMAL

IN THE SEWERS OF RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

BUT BIOLOGIST MARK MARTINDALE

THINKS THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER EXPLANATION.

I THINK THAT THE
PROBLEM IS THAT IT'S LIVING

IN UNFAVORABLE CONDITIONS

FOR ANY TYPE OF MAMMALIAN TISSUE

BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN

ITS NORMAL BODY TEMPERATURE.

AND SO LIVING IN A COLD, DARK, WET SEWER,

IF YOU CAME FROM A MAMMAL,
IS PRETTY HARD TO BELIEVE.

Narrator: RALEIGH'S SEWER
ENGINEERS STILL HAVE NO IDEA

WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH
OR HOW DANGEROUS IT COULD BE.

MARINE BIOLOGIST JOSEPH RYAN

THINKS THE PRESENCE OF
TENTACLE-LIKE PROTRUSIONS

OFFERS A CLUE TO THE
CREATURE'S POSSIBLE IDENTITY.

IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT
THIS THING, AND YOU'RE LIKE,

"OKAY, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO GO ON?"

IT'S GELATINOUS.

WE SEE ITS HABITAT.

WHAT ANIMALS COULD FIT THE BILL?

YOU COULD SAY, MAYBE, A JELLYFISH.

Narrator: JELLYFISH BELONG
TO A GROUP OF ANIMALS

CALLED CNIDARIANS.

THEY RANGE FROM BENIGN CORALS AND ANEMONES

TO THE DEADLY SEA WASP OR BOX JELLYFISH.

THESE ANIMALS CAN BE HIGHLY DANGEROUS.

A SINGLE SEA WASP IS
ARMED WITH ENOUGH VENOM

TO KILL OVER 50 PEOPLE.

IF THE MONSTER IN THE SEWER IS
SOME KIND OF MUTANT JELLYFISH

WITH THE FIREPOWER OF A SEA WASP,

THERE COULD BE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES.

IMAGINE AN ARMY OF THESE JELLYFISH

POURING OUT OF YOUR FAUCET,
STINGING EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.

Narrator: BUT MARTINDALE NOTICES
SOMETHING MISSING IN THE FOOTAGE

THAT MAY RULE OUT THE
JELLYFISH THEORY... WATER.

Martindale: THEY'RE CALLED
JELLYFISH FOR A REASON

BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY
HAVE ANY KIND OF INTERNAL

OR EXTERNAL SKELETON.

AND SO THEY NEED TO BE
PARTICULARLY SUBMERGED IN WATER.

OTHERWISE, THE SURFACE TENSION

COLLAPSES THE SKIN OF THE ANIMAL.

SO IF IT WAS A CNIDARIA, I
WOULD REALLY EXPECT IT

TO BE SHRIVELED UP IN SOME WAY.

Narrator: THE PULSING MOTION
IN THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE

GIVES BIOTECH SCIENTIST TIM WOOD AN IDEA.

HE THINKS THE SEWER MONSTER
IS NOT A SINGLE ORGANISM

BUT MANY CREATURES JOINED TOGETHER.

IT LOOKS LIKE A PULSING BLOB
BECAUSE WHEN ONE CONTRACTS,

THEN IT WILL CAUSE ALL THE
OTHERS TO CONTRACT AS WELL.

AND THEN, THAT WAVE OF CONTRACTION

MOVES THROUGH THE BLOB.

Narrator: WOOD BELIEVES HE HAS THE ANSWER.

HE RECOGNIZES THE WRITHING
MOVEMENT IN THE FOOTAGE.

IT'S A MASS OF WORMS.

Wood: WE CALL THEM TUBIFEX WORMS.

WHEN THEY'RE IN A CLUMP
LIKE THAT, YOU DON'T SEE

THE INDIVIDUAL WORMS.

YOU JUST SEE A MASS OF RED WRITHING.

Narrator: BUT THESE AREN'T REGULAR WORMS.

THEY LIVE IN SOME OF THE MOST
HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS ON EARTH.

TUBIFEX WORMS DEVOUR TOXIC
METALS LIKE MERCURY AND CADMIUM.

RALEIGH'S SEWERS ARE THE
PERFECT PLACE FOR THEM TO THRIVE.

Ryan: SO HERE, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT AN ANIMAL

THAT'S ALMOST INDESTRUCTIBLE

THAT CAN DEAL WITH SOME OF THE
MOST TOXIC CHEMICALS ON EARTH.

Narrator: A CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE TAPE

REVEALS HOW A COLONY OF SUPER WORMS

COULD BE BREEDING UNDERGROUND.

Buchan: WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FOOTAGE,

IT APPEARS THAT THEY ARE ENTERING THE PIPE

THROUGH WHAT APPEARS TO BE A CRACK.

Wood: IF THEY GOT THROUGH
THE CRACK AND INTO THE PIPELINE,

WELL, THERE'S NO SOIL ANYMORE.

SO THERE'S NO PLACE TO GO EXCEPT TO HANG ON

TO OTHER WORMS THAT HAVE ESCAPED.

AND EVENTUALLY, THEY WOULD
ACCUMULATE INTO THAT BALL.

Narrator: RALEIGH AUTHORITIES MAY BELIEVE

THE DANGER HAS PASSED.

BUT ALL IT TAKES IS A CRACK IN A
PIPELINE AND MORE MAY BE COMING.

IT'S UNNERVING TO THINK THAT
SOMETHING LIKE THOSE SLIMEBALLS

ARE DOWN THERE BREEDING
AND MULTIPLYING UNDISTURBED

JUST A FEW FEET BELOW OUR CITY STREETS.

Narrator: FOR THOSE WHO
HAVE COME FACE-TO-FACE

WITH THE HIDEOUS BLOB,

IT'S SOMETHING THEY'LL NEVER FORGET.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT MANY WORMS

GATHER IN ONE SPOT LIKE THAT.

AND I HOPE IN THE NEXT 5
YEARS OF ME DOING THIS,

I DON'T COME ACROSS NOTHING AS DISGUSTING

AS WHAT IS IN THAT VIDEO.

♪♪

Narrator: NOW A STRANGE LIGHT APPEARS

OVER THE FORESTS OF MICHIGAN.

SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
CAPTURE A FLEETING GLANCE

AS IT HOVERS IN THE NIGHT SKY.

Man: OH, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE, MAN.

Woman: OH, MY GOD.

YOU WOULD NOT EXPECT LIGHT
TO JUST RANDOMLY APPEAR

OUT OF NOWHERE IN THE SKY.

Narrator: SOME SUSPECT
SUPERNATURAL FORCES AT WORK.

THE LIGHT THAT YOU SEE IS THE
PHANTOM TRAIN COMING AT YOU.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ]

Narrator: OR COULD THIS SMALL TOWN

BE WHERE WE MAKE FIRST CONTACT?

Wise: ARE THEY FLOATING IN THE SKY?

ARE THEY MOVING AT TREMENDOUS SPEED?

WE DON'T KNOW.

Narrator: PAULDING, MICHIGAN,

A TINY SPECK OF A TOWN
SURROUNDED BY DENSE FOREST.

A HIGHWAY CARRIES THE OCCASIONAL
CAR OR TRUCK THROUGH HERE.

OTHERWISE, NOTHING
DISTURBS THIS SLEEPY HAMLET.

BUT AS DAY TURNS TO
NIGHT, PAULDING COMES ALIVE.

PEOPLE ARRIVE FROM HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY.

SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS HAVE CAPTURED

SOMETHING THEY ALL WANT
TO WITNESS FOR THEMSELVES...

THEIR VERY OWN CLOSE ENCOUNTER.

Woman: OH, MY GOD. OH, MY GOD.

-WHOA. -OH, MY GOD.

Wise: HERE YOU ARE OUT IN THE
WOODS SURROUNDED BY DARKNESS

AND THIS MYSTERIOUS PHENOMENON

SORT OF SPONTANEOUSLY TAKES
PLACE IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES.

IT'S KIND OF TERRIFYING
BUT ALSO KIND OF THRILLING.

Woman: OH, MY GOD. OH, MY GOD.

Narrator: AN UNEXPLAINED EERIE
LIGHT DRAWS MYSTIFIED ONLOOKERS

TO THIS SPOT IN THE MICHIGAN WOODS.

Woman: OH, MY GOD. OH, MY GOD.

THEY'RE HOPING TO COME FACE-TO-FACE

WITH EXTRATERRESTRIALS.

-IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A PLANE. -YEAH.

Man #2: YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE A PLANE ALMOST.

I DO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING
COMES FROM SOMEWHERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE.

BUT IT COMES FROM SOMEWHERE.

AND IT APPEARS IN THE SKY.

AND IT HAS CAPTURED A LOT OF INTEREST.

Man #1: OH, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE, MAN.

Narrator: IT APPEARS IN THE
NIGHT SKY OUT OF NOWHERE.

IT SEEMS TO HOVER, SOMETIMES
MOVING TOWARDS THE CROWDS.

OTHER TIMES, IT SITS ABOVE THE HORIZON,

PULSING FOR MINUTES BEFORE
SUDDENLY DISAPPEARING.

THE LIGHTS DON'T APPEAR IN A
PATTERN ANYONE CAN DECIPHER.

MANY THEORIES HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD.

BUT NO ONE KNOWS FOR
SURE WHAT THE STRANGE GLOW

IN THE NIGHT SKY IS.

ONE LOCAL RESIDENT HAS BEEN STUDYING

THE PAULDING LIGHT FOR 20 YEARS.

Mesich: THE FIRST TIME I SAW IT FOR MYSELF,

THERE WAS A BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT

AT THE VERY, VERY END OF THE ROAD.

AND IT GIVES IT KIND OF ALMOST AN ILLUSION

THAT IT'S COMING AT YOU.

Man #1: OH, MAN, IS THIS GONNA LOOK NUTS.

Narrator: IT MAY LOOK AS IF
IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM,

BUT STRANGELY, SOME
MEASUREMENTS PLACE THE LIGHT

AS FAR AS 4 MILES AWAY.

WITH SO MANY BAFFLED
BY THIS HYPNOTIC VISION,

PEOPLE TURN TO THE
SUPERNATURAL FOR AN EXPLANATION.

- LOOK, THERE IT IS AGAIN.
- HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.

Woman #2: IT'S LIKE A FLARE ALMOST.

THE ONE THAT'S THE MOST POPULAR
IS ABOUT A RAILROAD BRAKEMAN.

Narrator: THE LEGEND GOES THAT THE BRAKEMAN

IS FIXING A BROKEN TRACK

AS A TRAIN HURTLES TOWARDS HIM.

HE TRIES TO SIGNAL TO IT BUT IS CRUSHED.

Mesich: THE STORY IS NOW
THAT THE LIGHT THAT YOU SEE

IS THE PHANTOM TRAIN COMING AT YOU.

AND THE SMALLER LIGHTS
THAT YOU SEE AROUND THE AREA

IS THE BRAKEMAN STILL TRYING

TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT THE ONCOMING TRAIN.

Narrator: ANALYSIS OF
THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE

REVEALS A SERIES OF POWER LINES
RUNNING NEAR THE MYSTERY LIGHTS.

EXPERTS BELIEVE THESE
CABLES COULD BE IMPLICATED.

ELECTRICITY LINES HAVE BEEN
ASSOCIATED WITH STRANGE LIGHTS

IN THE PAST

IN AN EFFECT CALLED CORONAL DISCHARGE.

CORONAL DISCHARGE OCCURS
WHERE TWO POWER LINES CONNECT.

THE HIGH VOLTAGE AT THIS POINT CAUSES GASES

IN THE SURROUNDING ATMOSPHERE
TO EMIT COLORFUL GLOWS.

♪♪

DAVID WALLACE OF THE
HIGH-VOLTAGE LABORATORY

AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

BELIEVES HE CAN RE-CREATE A
CORONAL DISCHARGE IN HIS LAB.

Wallace: SO WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO TRY AND DO NOW

IS MIMIC WHAT WE SEE IN THE FOOTAGE.

SO WE'RE GONNA BE CREATING A CORONA HERE

BETWEEN THE TWO SPHERES.

AND THEN, WE WILL
INTRODUCE A GAS INTO THE AREA.

DIM LIGHTS.

Narrator: REPLICATING THE
POWER LINES IN PAULDING,

WALLACE SUPPLIES 80,000 VOLTS
BETWEEN THE TWO SPHERES.

HIS TEAM INTRODUCES THE GAS.

IT GLOWS A BRIGHT WHITE,

JUST LIKE THE PAULDING
LIGHT IN THE FOOTAGE.

THE TEST SHOWS THAT A CORONAL DISCHARGE

IS A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION.

BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM.

TO MIMIC THE EXACT COLOR
OF THE MYSTERY LIGHT,

WALLACE USED ARGON GAS.

THIS GAS MAKES UP LESS THAN ONE PERCENT

OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.

THE CHANCES OF THERE BEING THAT MUCH ARGON

IN ONE AREA OF PAULDING ARE EXTREMELY SLIM.

Wallace: I'M NOT REALLY CONVINCED

THAT THIS IS A CORONAL DISCHARGE.

SINCE ARGON IS A RATHER RARE GAS,

YOU WOULD NOT EXPECT TO SEE SUCH
A HIGH CONCENTRATION IN ONE AREA

TO GIVE OFF THE BRIGHT WHITE
HUE THAT YOU SEE IN THE VIDEO.

NOW IT HAS TO BEG THE QUESTION,

WHAT IS THE LIGHTS THAT WE'RE SEEING?

IT'S REALLY ODD.

Narrator: JEREMY BOS IS A
SPECIALIST IN ATMOSPHERIC OPTICS

AT MICHIGAN TECH UNIVERSITY.

HE'S BEEN STUDYING THE UNIDENTIFIED LIGHTS

FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

BOS BELIEVES CRACKING THE MYSTERY

MAY REQUIRE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT APPROACH.

WELL, LIKE I SAID, THE FIRST
THING WAS JUST TO GO OUT

AND SEE THE LIGHT.

LET'S BRING OUT A TELESCOPE
AND TAKE PICTURES OF IT.

Narrator: FROM WHAT HE
OBSERVES AT THE VIEWING POINT,

BOS DEVELOPS A THEORY.

HE SETS UP A SERIES OF
TELESCOPES AND CAMERAS.

AS NIGHT FALLS, ONE OF HIS RESEARCH TEAM

DRIVES THEIR VEHICLE
SEVERAL MILES OUT OF TOWN.

ON BOS' SIGNAL, HIS RESEARCHER
SWITCHES ON THE CAR HEADLIGHTS.

BOS RECORDS THE EVENT.

THE SPHERES OF LIGHT LOOK
STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO THE LIGHTS

IN THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE.

BOS BELIEVES THIS IS
EVIDENCE THAT CAR HEADLIGHTS

ARE CREATING THIS PHENOMENON.

Bos: NOW WE FEEL THAT WE CAN EXPLAIN IT.

AND NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE AN EXPLANATION,

WE CAN RE-CREATE IT.

Narrator: BUT NOT EVERYONE BUYS
THIS AS A COMPLETE EXPLANATION.

IT DOESN'T ANSWER HOW
WITNESSES EXPERIENCED THE LIGHTS

MOVING SO DRAMATICALLY AND HIGH IN THE SKY.

THE EXPLANATION THAT THESE
ARE CARS ONLY TAKES YOU SO FAR.

YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN
HOW IS IT THAT THESE CARS

COULD BE PERCEIVED AT THAT DISTANCE

IN A WAY THAT SEEMS THAT
THEY'RE MOVING AROUND.

Narrator: JEREMY BOS DIGS DEEPER,

LOOKING FOR A WAY TO
EXPLAIN THESE ANOMALIES.

HE DISCOVERS SOMETHING
ABOUT THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE

THAT COULD FINALLY SOLVE THE MYSTERY

OF THIS SPOOKY LIGHT SHOW.

THE PAULDING VIEWING POINT IS IN A VALLEY.

HERE, COLD AIR GETS TRAPPED
BENEATH A LAYER OF WARMER,

THINNER AIR.

IT'S CALLED A TEMPERATURE INVERSION.

THIS CHANGE IN AIR DENSITY CAN MAKE OBJECTS

THAT ARE MILES AWAY APPEAR MUCH CLOSER.

IT CAN EVEN ALTER THE
DIRECTION OF LIGHT RAYS.

WHEN IT HAPPENS, IT CAN CAUSE
THE RAYS THAT WOULD NORMALLY

BE STRAIGHT GOING FROM ONE
POINT TO ANOTHER TO ACTUALLY BEND.

Narrator: BOS THINKS THE
SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

ARE CAPTURING THIS EFFECT.

EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE A
GHOSTLY LIGHT DANCING HIGH

IN THE SKY,

MOST SCIENTISTS BELIEVE IT'S CAR HEADLIGHTS

TRAVELING ALONG THE HIGHWAY.

OH, MY GOD. OH, MY GOD.

BUT THIS DOESN'T STOP THE CROWDS

FROM GATHERING EVERY NIGHT TO SEE

IF, JUST POSSIBLY, SCIENCE
MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.