A short anecdote to add to this lengthy thread....

A number of years ago, my sister-in-law's brother, home alone one sunny afternoon, was confronted by a ball of light that exited a light socket, travelled just above the floor towards him, then veered sharply and reentered another light socket.

Being a child of the Disney Age and somewhat reluctant to accept that God had exited a light socket, Michael was firmly convinced he had been visited by Tinkerbell. He kept his eerie experience to himself for many years, as he was even more reluctant to admit to his belief in fairies.

A few years ago he was watching a TV programme on ball lightning and finally realized the probable cause of his visitation. Although relieved that he felt he could finally could talk about his experience with the phenomenom, it was not without a trace of wistfulness.

His experience always made me wonder what would have happenened if the ball of light hadn't veered? Another case of spontaneous combustion perhaps?