A scientist has uncovered the truth behind the Summerville Ghost, which has haunted a U.S. town since the 1950s.
The mystery of the so-called “Summerville Ghost,” which has haunted a town in South Carolina since the 1950s, may finally have an explanation.
Dr. Susan Hough, a seismologist from the U.S. Geological Survey, believes the strange occurrences in the area are linked to natural seismic activity.
She suggests that supernatural forces do not cause these events.
Background of the Summerville ghost
For decades, residents of Summerville have reported unusual sights and sounds.
People have claimed to see strange lights near the railroad tracks between Charleston and Summerville.
These lights are often described as small and glowing orbs.
In addition to the lights, witnesses have reported hearing whispers, feeling their cars shake, and experiencing other bizarre phenomena.
These reports have drawn the attention of ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts.
Many have traveled to the area to investigate the claims.
However, despite numerous investigations, the source of these ghostly happenings remained a mystery—until now.
Dr. Hough’s investigation of Summerville ghost mystery
Dr. Susan Hough became interested in the ghost stories after reading about them in various articles and books.
She decided to visit Summerville to explore the claims herself.
After her visit, she concluded that the incidents might be caused by small earthquakes.
She explained that the town is likely experiencing seismic events that have shallow sources.
“I didn’t give it a lot of thought,” the seismologist admitted. “Then last October, a USGS newsletter ran a little feature on spooky science.
“That got me thinking again about the ghost stories. And some of the details just screamed earthquake phenomena.”
In her research, Dr. Hough noted that the glowing lights could be a phenomenon known as “earthquake lights.”
These lights have been reported in other areas, particularly near active faults.
Dr. Hough stated that these lights often appear before or during seismic activity.
“Seismic events we may not perceive as earthquakes fit some of these accounts,” she explained.
“And glowing orbs that would hang in the air along a former railroad track. Well, that makes you think earthquake lights.
Explanation of the Lights
According to Dr. Hough, the glowing orbs seen by residents may be linked to the release of gases like radon or methane during earthquakes.
When these gases are exposed to oxygen, they can ignite and create a glow.
This is part of a broader phenomenon where gases released during seismic events cause light displays.
Dr. Hough explained, “The gas release hypothesis involves two possible mechanisms.”
She elaborated that while radon is inert and does not ignite, it could be associated with a glow discharge phenomenon.
This is when electrons become excited and produce light as they return to their normal state.
“As an inert gas, radon will not ignite, but could potentially be associated with a glow discharge phenomenon, whereby electrons move to an excited state and then fall back to their ground orbital shell.”
Sounds and shaking
In addition to the lights, Dr. Hough examined the noises reported by residents.
She believes these sounds could be caused by seismic waves.
These waves can create vibrations that people perceive as strange noises.
She pointed out that sounds in the frequency range of 20–200 Hz are audible to humans, and lower frequencies can cause unusual sensations.
Dr. Hough noted that residents have described feeling their cars shake and doors swinging.
She explained that these occurrences could also be linked to seismic activity that people may not always recognize as earthquakes.
Dr. Hough plans to conduct further research.
Now that Dr. Hough has a solid theory about the Summerville Ghost, she plans to conduct further investigations.
She hopes to gather more data on earthquake lights and identify any shallow active faults in the region.
To aid in her research, she has reached out to colleagues and students at the College of Charleston.
“I asked if any students wanted to join me on a ghostbusting expedition,” she shared.
This collaboration could help shed more light on the strange phenomena that have puzzled the town for years.