What did Dow Chemical Company find in the sand?

The company found regular sand, ammonia gas, silver droplets, and a gray substance that emitted a minute amount of radiation.

Was an explanation found for the burning ball?

No. The material examination did not explain what the couple saw, and the report offered no possible explanation.

A White Ball Burned Over the Field and Vanished Instantly

Raymond Lane and his wife were walking in a Dow Chemical Company field in Michigan when they heard a hissing sound. They turned around and saw a burning white ball near the ground. A moment later, the fire extinguished.

Lane returned to the spot and collected sand that had melted and re-solidified. Dow Chemical Company examined it, but the findings didn't explain what the ball was. It then became clear that the couple's accounts weren't entirely consistent either.

The Fire Extinguished, the Sand Remained

According to a report submitted by the FBI, the incident occurred on an evening in July 1947. The ball was seen about thirty meters from the couple, approximately thirty centimeters above the ground. Lane collected some of the melted sand and brought it to Dow Chemical Company's physics laboratory.

The company found regular sand, ammonia gas, and tiny silver droplets in the material. The report also mentioned a gray substance, within which a very minute amount of radiation was measured. This wasn't an answer to what ignited the ball; these were merely findings from the material Lane brought for examination.

Conflicting Accounts

FBI investigators spoke with both members of the couple. Lane recounted a story similar to the one he gave to Dow Chemical Company. His wife, however, did not provide a clear detailed account of what happened. Investigators noted significant discrepancies between their versions.

The couple also couldn't pinpoint the exact location where the sand was collected. Thus, the examination of the material remained, without the possibility of definitively linking it to a specific spot in the field.

What Remains Unknown

It is unknown what the white ball was or what caused the fire to appear. Dow Chemical Company described the material primarily as regular sand, alongside ammonia, silver, and a gray substance that emitted a small amount of radiation; the report offered no explanation for what the couple saw.

Melted sand remained in the field. But even after it was examined, the fire remained unexplained.

A White Ball Burned Over the Field and Vanished Instantly

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The Fire Extinguished, the Sand Remained

Conflicting Accounts

What Remains Unknown

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