# If some of the lights are natural, what produces them? · Marfa lights > Four answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Four are still possible. Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/marfa-lights/questions/QST0DCKKR8KK0DP/if-some-of-the-lights-are-natural-what-produces-them Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-28T20:04:24+00:00 --- **0** # If some of the lights are natural, what produces them? Asked 28 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·Part of [Once vehicles, ranch and other artificial lights, fires, stars and mirages are excluded, do any Marfa lights remain unexplained?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/marfa-lights/questions/QST0DCKKKFZBKJA/once-vehicles-ranch-and-other-artificial-lights-fires-stars)·4 answers·0·0 following **Four answers, none ahead** None is ahead yet. See what would settle it. ## Where it stands Four answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Four are still possible. ## Why it matters Plasma, combustion and piezoelectric mechanisms have all been put forward, each with different predictions for spectra, movement and where the lights appear⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDWNKTHCQ/strange-lights-in-west-texas-review)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDEK9MA4C/what-marfa-lights-probably-arent)⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDFE4QFK9/the-marfa-lights-a-real-american-mystery-skeptoid-38). None has been tested against a recorded light. ## Answers 4 [**An electrical plasma with a geological source** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/marfa-lights/answers/ANS0DCKMXRQCM1R/an-electrical-plasma-with-a-geological-source) None Evidence: 2 for Still possible [**Burning gas, possibly in a vortex** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/marfa-lights/answers/ANS0DCKMYCHBTA4/burning-gas-possibly-in-a-vortex) None Evidence: 2 for Still possible [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/marfa-lights/answers/ANS0DCKMZ7X3J4P/none-of-these) None Evidence: none yet Still possible [**Piezoelectric ball lightning from quartz bedrock** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/marfa-lights/answers/ANS0DCKMYQEPDRZ/piezoelectric-ball-lightning-from-quartz-bedrock) None Evidence: 1 against Still possible ## What would settle it 1. Obtain a resolved spectrum of a triangulated unexplained light and compare it with lamp, flame and air-plasma spectra. ## History 1. 2006[Stephan puts forward: burning gas, possibly in a vortex](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDEK9MA4C/what-marfa-lights-probably-arent) 1. 2006[Hall puts forward: an electrical plasma with a geological source](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDEXQ20GZ/the-truth-is-out-there) 1. 2006[Stephan: methane combustion could supply the energy for many of Bunnell's observations, though not all.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDEK9MA4C/what-marfa-lights-probably-arent)For: Burning gas, possibly in a vortex 1. 2007[Dunning puts forward: piezoelectric ball lightning from quartz bedrock](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDFE4QFK9/the-marfa-lights-a-real-american-mystery) 1. 2007[Dunning: television crews' attempts to triangulate the lights never located them; the lights proved not to be where they…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDFE4QFK9/the-marfa-lights-a-real-american-mystery)Against: Piezoelectric ball lightning from quartz bedrock 1. 2011[Stephan et al. puts forward: burning gas, possibly in a vortex](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDTYXS3ZM/quantitative-intensity-and-location-measurements-of-an) 1. 2011[Stephan et al.: coleman's vortex-fireball theory, which lets outside fuel feed a fireball and lets it drift, fits the 2005 object's…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDTYXS3ZM/quantitative-intensity-and-location-measurements-of-an)For: Burning gas, possibly in a vortex 1. 2015[Kirkus Reviews puts forward: an electrical plasma with a geological source](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDWNKTHCQ/strange-lights-in-west-texas-review) 1. 2015[Bunnell: bunnell reports that the lights resist wind currents while their heat signatures do not, from infrared images taken…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDW11ZXGR/strange-lights-in-west-texas)For: An electrical plasma with a geological source 1. 2015[Kirkus Reviews: bunnell reports that the lights resist wind currents while their heat signatures do not, from infrared images taken…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDWNKTHCQ/strange-lights-in-west-texas-review)For: An electrical plasma with a geological source 1. 2020[Borraz Aymerich & Ballester Olmos puts forward: an electrical plasma with a geological source](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDX42K774/the-marfa-lights-examining-the-photographic-evidence) 1. 2020[Borraz Aymerich & Ballester Olmos: ohtsuki's cameras at Marfa in 1989 caught a 10-second light that began "long and thin like a string" and shortened…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DCKDX42K774/the-marfa-lights-examining-the-photographic-evidence)For: An electrical plasma with a geological source 1. Oct 2026[Session 1: raised the question and proposed three answers](https://mysteriesdept.com/records/SES0DCKT02BYWPQ/session-1-the-marfa-lights-added-history-instrumented) ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/marfa-lights/questions/QST0DCKKR8KK0DP/if-some-of-the-lights-are-natural-what-produces-them%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/marfa-lights/questions/QST0DCKKR8KK0DP/if-some-of-the-lights-are-natural-what-produces-them%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/marfa-lights/questions/QST0DCKKR8KK0DP/if-some-of-the-lights-are-natural-what-produces-them%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/marfa-lights/questions/QST0DCKKR8KK0DP/if-some-of-the-lights-are-natural-what-produces-them%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/marfa-lights/questions/QST0DCKKR8KK0DP/if-some-of-the-lights-are-natural-what-produces-them%23add-source) Where it fits Marfa lights [**Once vehicles, ranch and other artificial lights, fires, stars and mirages are excluded, do any Marfa lights remain unexplained?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/marfa-lights/questions/QST0DCKKKFZBKJA/once-vehicles-ranch-and-other-artificial-lights-fires-stars)Key question · 3 answers, inconclusive **If some of the lights are natural, what produces them?** You're here · 4 answers, inconclusive [Is there any record of the lights from before motor traffic reached the Marfa plain?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/marfa-lights/questions/QST0DCKKQ0VS3WG/is-there-any-record-of-the-lights-from-before-motor-traffic)Open · 3 answers, inconclusive [What was the bright object recorded by two monitoring stations on Mitchell Flat on 3 June 2005?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/marfa-lights/questions/QST0DCKKQPF2NRJ/what-was-the-bright-object-recorded-by-two-monitoring)Open · 3 answers, inconclusive [ Ask a question under this one ]