10 Mind-Blowing Facts About Ball Lightning You Didn't Know

9. Ball Lightning's Role in Historical Events

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Ball lightning has surprisingly been involved with major events throughout history; those who saw it sometimes misconstrued or misunderstood it. One of the most well-known historical narratives centers Christopher Columbus, who supposedly saw ball lightning during his American expeditions. His crew saw these sightings as heavenly signals, which shaped their morale and decision-making during the dangerous travel. Sometimes ball lightning occurrences in medieval Europe were connected to religious visions or demonic expressions, which had important effects on society and culture. Pilots on both sides of World War II reported seeing enigmatic glowing spheres during which they first assumed to be secret weapons but later linked to ball lightning events. Among military personnel, these " foo fighters," as they were known, generated great worry and uncertainty. Several historical events have also been linked to the phenomenon, including the sinking of ships and the demolition of churches where ball lightning was misinterpreted for another phenomena or its destructive power was not known. These historical instances show the great influence ball lightning has had on human affairs, changing ideas, guiding decisions, and occasionally even changing the path of events. The misinterpretation of ball lightning over history emphasizes the need of scientific knowledge in eradicating superstitions and misconceptions around natural events.