Does silver turn black due to bad vibes? If a glass of water fills with bubbles when the environment is “charged”? Do I hear the sound of someone playing with marbles on the ceiling because they are suffering? These three situations associated with the mystical actually have logical explanations.
Chile is a country where belief in supernatural phenomena predominates. A study published in the journal PLOS Onerevealed that 52% of Chileans think that witchcraft does exist.
And for the same reason, there are some common situations that some associate with the paranormal or mystical, but that really have nothing to do with it.
Below we will tell you about 3 common phenomena popularly linked to the esoteric, but which have a scientific explanation.
The sound of balls at night
Probably, more than once you thought you heard that in the apartment above or the house next to yours, someone was playing with balls (or polquitas) late at night. And if it was an empty property, perhaps you considered the possibility that they were “suffering.”
However, there is a scientific explanation for the sound of the balls hitting the ground.
That noise is due to the call “water hammer” or Zhukovsky pulse (in honor of the Russian engineer Nikolai Zhukovsky), a phenomenon that occurs in the pipes that are in all homes.
As he explains ABC, when the flow of water through the pipes stops drastically when the tap is closed, the liquid continues trying to advance despite the fact that the valve is already closed. This causes the energy to focus, generating pressure on one side and a vacuum on the other.
Thus, there comes a point where the water molecules recede abruptly. At that moment, the air that remains moves in the opposite direction of the pressure and that is when a vibration occurs in the pipes… which sounds like a ball falling to the floor.
These tremors begin to lose strength as the situation stabilizes, giving the impression that the polka is rebounding.
Although it also happens during the day, at night the phenomenon is further enhanced because several hours go by without the faucets being opened, therefore, the pressure accumulates by not being continuously released.
To this is added that the nocturnal silence allows us to detect the sound more clearly.
It should be noted that this phenomenon is the main cause of damage to domestic pipes and is more common during vacation periods, when people leave the water valves closed for several days.
Bubbles in a glass of water
There is a popular belief that says that if you leave a glass of water resting all night and the next day dawns full of bubbles, it is a sign that this place is charged with negative energy. Likewise, if the liquid is intact, there are no “bad vibes”.
But the explanation for this myth has nothing to do with mysticism.
Rick Watling, a meteorologist at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), explained to the specialized magazine Scientific Americanwhich is related to atmospheric gases such as nitrogen and oxygen.
“The amount of dissolved gas depends on the water temperature and the atmospheric pressure at the air/water interface. Colder water with higher pressure allows more gas to dissolve; on the contrary, hot water and low pressure allow less gas to dissolve, ”he said.
In simple words, when you leave a glass of cold water in a room, it is likely to warm up to room temperature, causing nitrogen and oxygen to slowly come out of solution, forming tiny bubbles.
“If the atmospheric pressure decreases as the water warms, the balance between the gas molecules leaving and joining the air/water interface becomes unbalanced,” said the expert. This causes air to begin to come out of the water and collect in tiny air bubbles in the inside of the glass.
darkening silver
Another of the popular myths associated with the mystical has to do with silver jewelry.
It is believed that accessories made of this metal absorb bad vibes, protecting people from envy and the “evil eye”.
For the same reason, many choose to buy silver medals for children in order to take care of them from “malicious” people.
According to the myth, when silver turns black it is because it has absorbed bad energy, preventing it from directly affecting the person.
However, the truth is different. Chemical engineer Alejandra Lozano explained to BioBioChile that there are various reasons why silver darkens, but none have to do with the supernatural.
The professional indicated that silver can blacken when the pH of a person’s skin is a little more acidic than normal (below 5.6). This can be something permanent (and normal) or be the result of taking a medication that momentarily alters the pH.
Another reason why this metal changes color is due to the effect of creams, perfumes, soaps and other cosmetic products. It can also occur due to minerals in the water. In fact, many sulfur-rich hot springs cause this effect.
But they are not the only factors. Silver can even blacken in air. When the amount of sulfur in the environment is a little higher than usual, objects made of this metal can become darker.
Do you know other “supernatural” phenomena that you would like to demystify? Tell us in the comments.