What are Orbs? Spirit Energy or Dust?
- Dr Iain M Lightfoot
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever looked through your photos after a paranormal investigation and noticed small glowing balls of light floating across the frame, you’ve probably asked the same question every investigator has at some point: what exactly are orbs?
What are Orbs? Current Thinking
For many, orbs are the most common, and certainly the most controversial, form of paranormal evidence. These small spheres of light often appear in photos or videos, sometimes bright and defined, other times faint and translucent. Sceptics claim they’re nothing more than lens flare, dust, insects, or moisture reflecting light. Sometimes, I would completely agree that's exactly what they are.
Yet, I would say not always. Take a look at the following video:
This video shows a number of Orbs in the front room of a lady who has just moved into the building in France, just outside the city of Caen. You will have seen the main orb attempting to manifest and getting brighter and brighter until the energy collapses. I noticed in this video that as the main Orb got brighter, there were far less secondary orbs flying by. This is the typical orb activity. Through our investigations and interviews, we believe that orbs may get bright, then change into a block of light before the manifestation of a full body spirit appears. Could orbs be a means of energy appearing in our reality? A working theory perhaps?
A Different Type of Orb
In the following video, you will see what I term as a string-orb, that is a number of smaller orbs linked by a plasma 'string' which may well be the incomplete manifestation of spirit. This type of orb flies differently and floats rather than flies through the air.
The above video clearly shows string orbs, floating almost intelligently across the rooms. Seeing these types of orbs is not that common and always a thrill when you do capture them. They have a precise, slow dance and almost always disappear when they get to you, it is almost that they want to show themselves to you.
Can Orbs be seen in the daylight?
It is VERY rare to be able to see an orb with the naked eye in daylight - here is an orb captured at Wymering Manor recently. Note its flight-path with separates it from that of an insect:
Orb Shapes & Colours
Orbs come in all shades, white, blue, green, gold, red, even violet. Some believe that colour might represent energy or emotion: white and blue for calm or protective spirits, red and orange for stronger, perhaps more assertive presences. While these associations certainly aren’t proven, investigators often record orb colour alongside other environmental data, looking for patterns. Sometimes, consistent colours appear in the same location or during communication with a particular spirit. Coincidence? Maybe.
Every now and then, something extraordinary happens. You may capture an orb that seems to have features. I once reviewed a photo where an orb appeared with a distinct shape inside, almost like a skull or face. These captures seem to be quite rare. Could it be a case of pareidolia (the brain’s natural tendency to see patterns and faces in random data, like clouds or in the flames of a fire).
This type of Orb seem to have a plasma trail our behind them, or are the perfectly spherical but have a face in the inside. Some people have sworn that the orbs contain the faces of loved ones... or something more sinister?
Final Reflection
Are orbs proof of spirits? Is something intelligent interacting with us from beyond our visible spectrum. There are so many questions that we do not have answers for. What do you think? The next time you see or capture an orb, don’t be in a rush to explain it away. Study it. Look at its movement, colour, and context. Was anyone speaking? Did the atmosphere shift? Did it respond to a question? What type was it, was it during the day, what was happening? How did you feel? I have found that the LACK of Orbs in an active location is telling too...
In paranormal investigation, every piece of evidence tells a story. Some stories are clearer than others, but orbs, whether sometimes dust, energy, or something in between remain a real connection, perhaps only a thread connecting the physical and the unknown, but a connection nevertheless.
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