The late 17th century to the close of the Napoleonic Wars is known as the Enlightenment—the Age of Reason. It was a time of incredible scientific advancement, with a focus on explaining the world through natural laws rather than the supernatural. Confidence grew that reason, logic, and the scientific method could explain everything. Yet, some strange occurrences from that era continue to defy explanation, teasing even the most skeptical minds. Mystery, it seems, is inescapable.
The Russian Fireball of 1663
On August 15, 1663, villagers gathered at the church in Robozero, Russia, for the Feast of the Assumption. A loud noise from above drew them outside, where they saw a giant ball of fire moving north to south over a lake.
Eyewitnesses estimated its size at 140 feet (43 meters), with two rays projecting forward. After disappearing over the lake, it reappeared less than an hour later, moving westward. It vanished again, only to return a third time, even larger than before. People in boats felt intense heat, and the lake glowed red, scattering the fish.
Was it a natural phenomenon exaggerated by frightened observers? A UFO? Or, as the terrified villagers believed, a divine sign? The mystery endures.[1]
The Father of Psychical Research
English philosopher Joseph Glanvill, seeking to apply the scientific method to paranormal phenomena, became known as the Father of Psychical Research. He approached supernatural claims with rigorous analysis, considering himself a skeptic in the truest sense.
Glanvill’s most famous investigation involved poltergeist activity in the Mompesson home in Tedworth, Wiltshire. After magistrate Mompesson confiscated a vagrant drummer’s instrument, strange events began. The drum beat on its own, objects flew around, children levitated, and mysterious lights appeared. Glanvill himself witnessed some of these occurrences.
Many accused Mompesson of staging a hoax, but Glanvill dismissed this as dogmatic. He believed the empirical evidence, which he had seen firsthand, warranted consideration. Glanvill’s detailed records in Saducismus Triumphatus (1668) suggest that there may be more to reality than we understand.[2]
The Serpent Creature of the Alps
Since the 17th century, sightings of a mysterious creature have been reported in the Swiss Alps. In 1711, Jean Tinner shot at it with a musket. In 1779, Hans Fuchs described seeing two creatures with serpent-like bodies, about 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 meters) long, with clawed front legs and cat-like heads. The creature, known as the Tatzelwurm (German for “worm with claws”), has also been spotted in the Alpine regions of Germany, Austria, and Italy.
Some speculate it’s a giant salamander, though they typically live in water. Others suggest it could be an evolutionary link between lizards and snakes. Could the deep crevasses of the Alps hide a creature unknown to science?[3]
The Strange Death of Jeanne Lemaire
In February 1725, innkeeper Jean Millet found the smoldering remains of his wife, Jeanne Lemaire, in their kitchen. A strange fire had almost completely consumed her, leaving only a few remnants. Despite the charred floor beneath her, nearby items were untouched. Authorities suspected murder and arrested Millet, who was having an affair, but he was acquitted due to lack of evidence. What happened to Jeanne?
Claude Nicolas Le Cat, a renowned surgeon, believed it was a case of spontaneous human combustion (SHC), a rare and mysterious phenomenon. Le Cat theorized that the fire originated within Mrs. Millet’s body. While earlier explanations might have blamed demonic forces, Le Cat attributed it to alcohol consumption and a sedentary lifestyle, fitting with the era’s rational spirit.
This became a common explanation, warning against excessive drinking. Today, we know that even the most intoxicated person doesn’t have enough alcohol in their system to cause SHC. What internal fire could devour a body so completely? The puzzle remains.[4]
The Vampire Scare of 1732
Johann Fluckinger, an Austrian army doctor, investigated claims of vampirism in Medvegia, Serbia. His report described Arnold Paole, who allegedly attacked four villagers after his death. When Paole’s coffin was opened, it was found that fresh blood flowed from his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes.
Villagers, convinced Paole was a vampire, drove a stake through his heart, causing him to scream and gush more blood. More villagers, believed to have been attacked by Paole, died, bringing the total to 17. Fluckinger confirmed that these victims also had fresh blood and intact organs, as if they were still alive.
Fluckinger, an experienced medic, couldn’t have been mistaken. His report fascinated Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire, Diderot, and Rousseau, possibly influencing modern vampire stories like Dracula. While scientists have proposed various theories, none fully explain the bizarre details of the Fluckinger Report.[5]
The Skree of Culloden
On April 16, 1746, the Battle of Culloden marked the end of the Jacobite rising. Before the battle, the Jacobite rebels were haunted by visions and ghosts foretelling defeat. The most frightening was a creature called the Skree, which flew over them. It had bat-like, leathery wings and a human head. Lord George Murray, a seasoned general, was among those who witnessed it.
The next day, the weak, starving, and outnumbered Scots were crushed by government troops. A thousand were killed, compared to only 50 Redcoats. Another thousand died in the following days. Bonnie Prince Charlie fled into exile, ending his threat to the throne.
The Skree was seen as a harbinger of tragedy, a chilling omen before a devastating defeat and, according to some accounts, briefly spotted again in the 1990s.[6]
Goethe’s Doppelganger
In 1771, German novelist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe encountered a strange sight in Sesenheim. As he rode away from saying goodbye to his girlfriend Frederica, he saw another horseman approaching. To his shock, the man was himself, dressed in gray and gold. The figure vanished as Goethe regained composure.
Eight years later, Goethe traveled the same road to see Frederica again. He then realized he was wearing the same clothes his ghostly double had worn. This doppelganger, German for “double-goer”, is often seen as a bad omen in folklore. But Goethe found the vision comforting, believing it meant he was on the right path.
Neurologists now theorize that doppelgangers relate to the brain’s self-awareness, suggesting people with autoscopy are more prone to hallucinating themselves.[7]
Mass Hysteria at the Cotton Mill
In February 1787, a young girl at a Lancashire cotton mill played a prank on a coworker with a mouse. The victim had a convulsive fit that lasted hours. The next day, three more girls were affected similarly. By Monday, 24 people, including a man, suffered severe attacks, with some even trying to harm themselves. The factory closed, fearing a dreaded disease.
A doctor was called in and discovered that electric shocks ended the convulsions. The event was attributed to mass hysteria, now understood as a condition where stress triggers groupthink, leading to the spread of illness through psychological means.[8]
Phantom Artillery of the Rockies
In July 1805, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark heard mysterious sounds in the Rockies, resembling cannon fire from about three miles away. They recalled similar sounds in the Black Hills, dismissed as superstition. Now, experiencing it themselves, they were puzzled. Clear skies ruled out thunder, and there were no avalanches.
Travelers continued to report these sounds. Similar occurrences have been noted worldwide, such as the Barisal Guns in Bangladesh. In the late 1970s, 600 “mystery booms” along the East Coast prompted a Congressional investigation, which couldn’t explain a third of them. Theories range from subterranean energy waves to sound reflection.[9]
The Assassination of Spencer Perceval
On May 2, 1812, John Williams dreamed he was in the lobby of the House of Commons, where a man in brown shot Prime Minister Spencer Perceval, who was wearing blue. Williams told his wife about the dream to be dismissed.
On May 11, Spencer Perceval was assassinated in the lobby of the Commons by John Bellingham. Every detail happened exactly as Williams dreamed it.
Stranger still, Williams had no connection to either man. Spencer Perceval remains the only British Prime Minister to be assassinated.[10]
The Age of Reason, despite its emphasis on logic and scientific progress, was filled with bizarre and inexplicable events. From mysterious fireballs and serpent creatures to ghostly premonitions and spontaneous combustion, these occurrences remind us that the world is full of mysteries that continue to challenge our understanding.
What do you think about these strange events? Leave your comment below!
